


Winter Wonderland

by NotTasha



Series: Paradise/Wonderland [2]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alien Planet, Animals, Cold Weather, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-08
Updated: 2015-05-08
Packaged: 2018-03-29 14:41:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 34,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3900055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotTasha/pseuds/NotTasha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The team visits a wintery planet, intent on trading for food.  They're invited on a mammoth hunt</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. FIrst Half

**Author's Note:**

> SEASON: Sometime during the 1st Season - probably before "The Brotherhood"  
> DISCLAIMERS: The characters, Atlantis, etc, all belong to Sony, MGM, Gecko, Showtime, the Sci-Fi Channel.  
> DATE: originally posted September 5, 2005

CHAPTER 1: SORE THUMB

John Sheppard suddenly had a pretty good idea what it felt like to be slammed across the face with a frying pan. He stepped through the event horizon and onto P3M-433 and was instantly assaulted by a cold blast that took his breath away. The frigid air stuck at his nostrils, instantly freezing any bits that cluttered that passageway – cold, damn cold. He felt the freeze on his exposed skin, and he narrowed his eyes against it. It was one hell of a surprise when stepping from the pleasant warmth of Atlantis. 

He’d forgotten what true cold felt like.

He turned when he heard a gasp behind him, and smirked as he saw Rodney stagger from the Gate. “Good God!” the physicist exclaimed, instantly ducking his head into his well-insulated shoulders. A blue fleece cap was quickly clapped onto his head – earflaps drawn down and strings tied under his chin. “They said it was going to be cold… but….”

Even Ford and Teyla looked offended by the chill that caught them. Oh, they’d been made aware of the situation on P3M-433 and had suited up accordingly. Three of them dressed in the military issued white snow gear. The fourth dressed in multiple layers, looked uncommonly plump. Long johns under a Maple Leafs wool sweater, beneath a bright red parka, black snowpants, a fleecy blue hat and the striped scarf.

Sheppard had harangued McKay to use what had been issued to them. But the physicist had been insistent, stating he’d had the hat and scarf for years, that the jacket and pants were of far better quality than what Uncle Sam saw fit to offer. Teyla had insisted the natives were uncommonly benign. “Besides,” McKay had added. “How much time do you plan to spend outdoors anyway? Honestly, Major, it’ll just be a quick trip to their households and then we’ll be indoors the rest of the time as we hammer out this trade agreement.”

“I won’t have it,” John had returned. “You’ll stand out like a sore thumb. Not that you don’t already, but I won’t have a walking target in my midst. Damn it, McKay, you’ll bring attention to all of us.”

“Then you don’t have to stand near me,” McKay had responded. “I’ve had the jacket since before I left for… you know… before Siberia. I’ve found it to be the best parka out there. A little color is welcome in all that white and gray. It keeps me warm and dry, even in the worst weather. I’ll be toasty warm, while the rest of you are freezing.” And he had smiled smugly.

Finally, tired of the argument, Sheppard had replied with a quick, “Fine!” The damn Canuck had probably been looking for to a chance to play in the snow since they’d left earth. Well, they were going to get their chance here -- that was for certain. And the major narrowed his eyes at the white landscape. Cold as a witches…

“Damn,” Ford interjected, rubbing his hands together, “If we stay out here for long, we’ll turn into ice cubes.” The lieutenant who’d previously mocked the scientist, suddenly looked at the comfy-looking Doc with envy, clutching his arms over the white military regulation jacket. Teyla looked particularly uncomfortable and pressed her hands together.

With a frown, Sheppard flexed his fingers inside his gloves, wondering if he was really feeling the cold leach into his fingers already or if it was just imagination.

All about them, snow. Snow on the ground. Snow in piles. Snow covering hills and the distant mountains. Snow over huts and trees. Snow piled all around the DHD. Snow falling – fluffy flakes that drifted down in clumps – big, shapeless, puffy clumps – reminding Sheppard of McKay in his parka.

Except – the flakes were white. Everything was white – so white it hurt to look about. Even the smoke that piped from one of the hills seemed to be more white than black.

Sheppard turned about slowly. “So,” he started. “This is Ekuk?”

Teyla, looking downright miserable, nodded tightly. “Yes, Major,” she responded. She huddled in her coat. “The Ekukians should be here shortly.” She glanced about hopefully.

Ford seemed to over his initial shock as he smiled at the surroundings. “Thought it’d be more like Antarctica,” he declared. “It isn’t that barren. There’s trees under the snow. It’s kinda … nice once you get over the cold.” He put on a positive expression. “Kind of a winter wonderland, don’t you think?”

“You think so?” Sheppard replied, sharply.

“It looks like a Christmas card,” Aiden added.

Sheppard grimaced. “Too cold for my liking.”

“Aw, but Major,” Ford cajoled. “It isn’t any worse than Antarctica.”

Sheppard moved to the edge of the platform, looking about for any signs of the civilians. “Well,” he stated, swiping at the snow that collected on his shoulders. “I didn’t spend a lot of time outdoors while I was there. Mostly, I stayed in nice warm aircraft.”

“The climate is actually entirely different than Antarctica,” McKay informed as he stepped forward. “There’s far more moisture in the atmosphere here,” he stated, pointing to the falling snow. “Antarctica is, if you would believe it, mostly a desert. Very little precipitation. This planet has seasons – all of the snow will melt away in the spring. Imagine what the run-off would look like.” He turned to Teyla, asking pointedly, “By the way, I thought you said it would be autumn?”

Teyla, hugging herself tightly, lifted her shoulders a fraction and let them fall – a gesture she’d only recently learned and felt rather fitting for the moment. “It is early winter. Their warm seasons are short,” she declared. “I was hoping for something a bit more accommodating.”

“Well, as long as one is adequately prepared,” McKay declared as he patted his insulated chest, “It really isn’t too bad. Rather bracing when you get down to it. Don’t you think, Major?”

“Bracing, yeah,” Sheppard responded. I’ll put you in a brace, he thought. How did people live in this region and WHERE THE HELL were the locals?

As if to answer his question, there was suddenly movement – figures coming through the snow. Sheppard squinted against the bright field, and finally fumbled with a pocket to find his sunglasses, fitting them over his eyes. Three people made their way toward then, all dressed in furs.

“Halooo!” someone shouted, waving furry arms. The man was dressed in dark brown fur, and the flailing made him look like a furious grizzly.

Sheppard returned the gesture less frenetically, lifting one hand and calling back, “Hey.”

The figures trudged onward, over hard-packed snow, as more flakes fell all about. “Welcome!” the man shouted. “Welcome! Welcome to Ekuk!” He wore a huge furred hood that covered most of his face, and he pulled back the head-covering as he approached, revealing his thick hair, beard and bushy eyebrows. It was almost as if he hadn’t removed the hood at all. “I am Akhiok!” He gestured with his mittened hands as he strode up the stairs to the platform. He smiled, showing off his yellowish teeth. “This is my brother Karluk. And this is my wife, Soldotna.”

Sheppard looked over the other two, so covered in furs (one brownish and the other blackish), he was unable to tell which one was a woman. He hoped it was the shorter one. “Major John Sheppard,” he introduced himself, then pointed to the others, giving their names. “This is Lt. Ford, and that’s Teyla. And the big red blimp is Dr. McKay.”

Rodney gave him a sharp look, but said nothing.

Akhiok looked pleased. He rubbed his mitts together. “Have you come to trade?” he asked hopefully.

“Yup,” Sheppard responded.

“Excellent! Most excellent,” Akhiok responded. “We are pleased!”

“Do you have fruit?” a surprisingly pretty voice came from under one of the hoods. “Oh, I’ve longed for the taste of fruit.”

Teyla smiled, in spite of her discomfort. She indicated the case that she brought with her. “We have brought both fruit and vegetables for you to sample. We have come to trade for meat.”

Akhiok smiled broadly, and clapped one hand firmly on Sheppard’s shoulder. “Ah! Then come to the great hall. You have arrived just in time. The migration is in progress! Tomorrow there will be a hunt and we’ll have plenty to bargain with. Come! Come!” Bigheartedly, he shoved Sheppard down the stairs toward the other two Ekukians. “We must go where it is warm and comfortable, yes?” And he laughed loudly as he clomped close to McKay and took in his appearance. “You are a colorful one, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” Sheppard put in. “That’s what we call him, the colorful one.”

“Ha ha,” was all McKay could come up with in response.

Akhiok chuckled. “You will want to be out of this chill, yes?” He wrapped one arm around the physicist’s shoulder. In spite of McKay’s best attempts to shrug him off, the Ekukian couldn’t be shed. “Come! Come!” and he directed McKay to the stairs, laughing broadly.

The Canadian tried to give Sheppard a frantic look, but one of the other two furry figures had encompassed the Major, while the third waited for Ford and Teyla. And, the small group made their way to a big white heap – the one with the chimney. They clomped over the snow that was packed nearly as hard as a roadway.

Akhiok led the way, with McKay snuggled beneath his arm. Sheppard followed with what he assumed was Akhiok’s wife, Soldotna. The final furred person was behind them, helping Ford and Teyla with their load of trading wares.

“Red!” Akhiok spouted, laughing still. “If I could have a cloak such as yours, I would be a happy man!”

“Ah, man of good tastes. It’s down-filled of course,” McKay stated, running a hand along the puffy box-quilt squares of the coat. “Ripstop nylon, water-resistant, light-weight, microfleece-lined collar, with a draw-string cinch …”

“McKay,” Sheppard growled from behind him. “He didn’t want to hear a commercial for the damn thing.”

“I’m impressed,” Akhiok responded as they approached steep side of one hill. “I would like such a thing for myself.”

“Well,” McKay replied as he crunched over the snow. “You’re out of luck because this is the only one like it in the Pegasus galaxy. The color is called… ‘Chili’! A bit of a play on words because…”

“We’ll add it to the trade negotiations,” Sheppard decided. “Fruit, vegetables and one chili jacket.”

Akhiok looked over his shoulder and smiled widely at the Major as McKay sputtered. “I think I shall be happy doing business with you!” the native declared. They’d reached the entrance to a cave. Heavy doors were swung open, and a fur or cloth covered the entrance. Akhiok pressed back the cloth, revealing a dark space. “Come,” he ordered, gesturing the way in. They shambled past the drapery that fell back into place heavily, and for a moment they were in the close darkness, away from the frigidness. Another cloth or skin was parted, and they stepped into an almost uncomfortably warm space. An air-lock, Sheppard surmised as they walked through. Oil lamps guttered along the walls, casting a warm yellow glow on everything, and they faced a hallway, dug into the hill

The first thing that Sheppard noticed was that the place stank – the closeness of people – the lack of ventilation – the burning oil – the cooked meat -- people -- the old stale odors were almost overwhelming. He coughed before regaining his composure. The others were similarly affected – only McKay went on a bit longer, screwing up his face against the unpleasant assault.

Along the hall, tapestries hung. And between the tapestries, heads peeped out from holes in the wall. Sheppard nodded congenially at them, but at that moment, he really needed to get out of his coat.

Mufflers were untied, hats removed, toques tossed, jackets unzipped, as outerwear were shed. Soldotna, once she was free of her wrappings, proved to be a beauty, with dark-hair and eyes. Karluk looked much like his brother, with a heavy beard, thick hair and discolored teeth. Coats were hung up on hooks near the entrance. McKay held onto his parka a little longer than needed, petting the puffy garment as if it was the last time he’d see it. Almost reluctantly, he handed it over to Soldotna, who carefully hung it among the myriad furs that decorated one wall. She seemed intrigued by the leaf motif on his sweater, but said nothing of it.

Once they had shucked themselves from the winterwear, other citizens of the caves stepped clear from their holes. Apparently it was good manners to wait until visitors had freed themselves of their furs before you greeted them. “Welcome!” “Welcome!” voices called out as arms reached. “Come! Come to the great hall! Come! Welcome!”

The people were dressed in what appeared to be wool and skins, skillfully made – and apparently they had little regard for personal space as they crushed near. “We welcome you! We will share with you our homes.” Hand reached out to touch the newcomers, petting them.

Rodney ducked away in horror, and Sheppard winced – doing his best to not pull away from the friendly natives. Ford threw his commanding officer unhappy glances, while Teyla put up with the ministrations with a resigned expression.

Akhiok laughed again, and ushered the guests forward, down the main shaft that burrowed straight into the heart of the hill, past holes in the hall – apparently living spaces. Sheppard eyed the tapestries that covered the dirt walls – intricate pictures that illustrated snow-covered hills, or serene summer landscapes, or fierce battles with enormous creatures. He narrowed his eyes at the hunting scenes, taking in the prey animals that resembled Wooly Mammoths. They had neither trunks nor tusks, but they couldn’t be anything other than mammoths. In the images, men in furs ran alongside the creatures, hefting ineffectual looking spears. Big fluffy white dogs were illustrated chasing down the beasts, leaping savagely toward their throats.

“You see the mammoths?” McKay asked through his teeth as they strode down the corridor.

“Seen ‘em,” Sheppard responded.

“That’s what they’ll be hunting?” McKay asked.

“Tapas!” Akhiok responded. “Yes, we’ll be hunting tapas tomorrow. They come through our land twice a year – at the beginning and end of our winter. We have already had one hunt this season, and have our larders well stocked, but another will give us goods to trade. You’ll join us on the hunt, yes?” He reached out one arm, giving McKay a crushing embrace as they walked. “You must! You will!”

McKay staggered, hardly keeping his feet.

“You’ll love it,” Akhiok assured. “You’ll see.”

“Yeah,” Sheppard put it, chuckling as McKay struggled to keep up with their quick gait. “You’ll see.” 

CHAPTER 2: KABOBS AND SLIVOVITZ

The night was spent in quiet, cheerful light. The Ekukian’s proved to be warmhearted people. The great hall filled with the citizens of the warren city, all of them eager to hear the visitors, wanting to know what was happening on the other worlds. It was a tight fit, with about seventy or eighty people in total, but nobody seemed to mind the crush – except for a couple of the temperamental visitors.

Soldotna and some of the other women had opened the crate of trading goods as soon as it had arrived in the room, and had nearly swooned over the contents – samples of the produce grown by the Athosians and some of the other trading partners. “Oopha!” Soldotna exclaimed, holding up a pear-like fruit. “Oh, how I’ve longed for it.”

A quite murmur of conversation filled the night, as women, men and well-behaved children sat together, sharing a meal. Everyone seemed to speak in a quiet whisper that could be heard only by the closest neighbors. Thin strips of meat were served on long sticks, and seared over the fire at the central stove. A thick chimney sprouted from the top of the device, disappearing into the ceiling. From time to time, everyone would draw back and a dark brick would be added to the grate, keeping the fire going.

The cooked meat was dipped into a variety of sauces – from sweet to sour to salty to spicy. After a tepid start, McKay discovered the wonders of the Ekukian satay, and soon several of the women sat near him, tempting him with their own personal dipping sauces.

A bottle was passed around, filled with a clear liquid that could take the paint from any surface. The native people were cheery and generous. The visitors did their best to show their appreciation. Some needed more coaxing than others. And they made at least a pretext of sipping the strong solution.

It made the Ekukians laugh uproariously when McKay choked on a swallow. They laughed even harder when Ford did the same. Teyla gamely took a gulp and was rather quiet afterward.

As McKay finished his last tapa-kabob, he watched a young Ekukian carefully add another brick to the fire. “What is that?” he asked, pointing with the empty stick. “Some sort of concentrated fuel source?”

“It’s a tapa-blossum,” the boy told him.

“Tapa blossom?” McKay repeated, glancing to the others.

Akhiok faltered, trying to come up with the right words, so it was Soldotna that explained, “It is the dung of the tapa. The blossom is collected from the snowfields, and stored for the cold months. We compress it and let it dry. It is a good fuel.”

McKay looked at his stick uneasily, and set it down by the fire. He exchanged a worried glance with Sheppard, who suddenly found the need end his feast. Ford lifted a lip in disgust, and edged back from the fire, while Teyla simply closed her eyes.

When the meal was finished, Akhiok brought the visitors in a huddle around him, and drew in his wife and brother. Another woman sat close to the brother, saying nothing, but clinging to the big man as only a wife should. She was introduced as Kenai, newly wed to Karluk. 

The other Ekukians kept close, pressing in to hear – but not entering the conversation. They kept up a constant quiet litany with the others in the room – either repeating what they’d heard from the visitors, or offering commentary on it. It was disconcerting to the newcomers to hear their conversation echoed and interpreted almost as soon as the words had been spoken.

They were a private people, Teyla had told them earlier, who lived in a very public, tight community. They created their privacy where they could. While indoors, voices were usually kept low, but it was known that others were always nearby -- listening. Words were always overhead. One had to ignore another when one wanted to be alone. It was the pretense of privacy, and it was all that they had when winter kept them captive.

“So few visitors come our way,” Akhiok said quietly as they sat in a half-circle near the fire. “We are happy to have newcomers to enjoy our nightly feast. We are glad to trade with anyone who comes to us and we are pleased with you. It fills us with joy that you have come to trade.”

Karluk looked unhappy as he stated, “Few come anymore.”

“Can’t imagine why that is,” Sheppard stated, remembering the frying pan in the face when he stepped onto the planet.

Catching the sarcastic tint of John’s statement, McKay responded, “Oh, pooh-pooh. A little cold won’t kill you, Major. When properly suited up…” he pointed to his Maple Leafs sweater, “…it’s a lovely planet.” Behind him, a woman sidled closer, peering over his shoulder – and the scientist looked lost, not knowing if he should be annoyed or gratified to have a woman pressed so close to him. Annoyance was winning out.

“Yes, yes, it’s lovely,” Akhiok went on. “Yet so few visit. It’s been a long time since we had such things.” Akhiok gestured to the fruit in his wife’s hands. “We can grow some grains in the warm months, and there are the everlast berries, but what you bring to us will be treasured.”

“It is well known that if no one comes to you,” Teyla said helpfully, “You must travel to find the items you seek. One must, at least… try.”

Karluk leaned close to her and explained, “We used to travel when our supplies were short.”

Akhiok added, “Once or twice a year, perhaps. Little more.”

“And not at all for this past year,” Soldotna added petulantly, still holding the oopha fruit as if it was a precious gem.

“It is unsafe,” Akhiok placated, resting one hand on his wife’s shoulder. “And we have been fine without travel. It is unnecessary.”

“Gate travel is perfectly safe,” McKay interjected. “We do it all the time.” And he smiled broadly. “If you want, I can maybe give a little talk on how the gate technology works. Really, if you think it would help.” His hands fluttered about as he talked. “I’d be more than happy to explain it.”

Sheppard gave him a glare, but Akhiok spoke, “We are happy for your offer, but it would be unnecessary.” He sighed. “My people are uncomfortable within other cultures. They are – strange to us. We prefer to stay near the comforts of our homes.” And he spread his arms wide to indicate the cozy room. “How could we leave?”

“Yeah,” Sheppard stated, wrinkling his nose against the strong odors, which had become stronger as Akhiok lifted his arms, “I can tell.” Behind him, one of the onlookers leaned heavily against him, jabbing an arm into his back, and Sheppard had to hold back to keep from flinging the young man away.

“But the reason we have stopped our travel, is …” Karluk started and paused, looking to his brother. “Naknek.” The people around them drew in their breaths, and Karluk waited for Akhiok to continue for him. 

“Naknek?” John repeated the word to ensure that he’d heard it correctly.

Akhiok nodded, and turned toward the visitors. “Naknek would travel through the gate. He would take his family and they would barter. He knew how to bring the Ring to life. He knew where to go. He was not afraid. One day, they went in search of fruit and new game, and never came back.”

The constant nattering around them stopped. Finally, Ford spoke. “Maybe they just ended up someplace nice and warm,” he tried. “You know. Maybe they didn’t want to come back. Could be his family just got tired of being cold.”

“It wouldn’t be like him,” Soldotna whispered.

“We tried to find him,” Karluk added. “Ugashik tried.” He nodded to one of the faces in the crowd, a boy. “Ugashik knew where he had gone and how to find him, but the Ring would not open.” Karluk sighed in defeat.

“Wouldn’t open?” McKay commented. “That doesn’t make sense. The boy got the sequence wrong. Kid, ah… Ugh-a-sick?”

“Ugashik,” Akhiok corrected congenially, and gestured the boy into their midst. McKay questioned the kid, trying to discover the address dialed, the sequence of keys pressed, but the boy couldn’t clearly describe the symbols. The boy stated that he had tested another known address and made a connection – but no matter how he tried, he could not reach the location where Naknek had disappeared.

“He probably just dialed it wrong,” McKay concluded, after hearing the boy’s wishy-washing description. “He obviously can’t tell one chevron from another. A pity. I might have been able to help you track down this Nick-nack and his family.”

“Naknek,” Akhiok gently corrected.

The evening went on –bottles were passed about and others opened. Teyla gamely tried to keep up with the natives, but her eyes were soon closing and she leaned against Sheppard. The major sighed wearily. He figured he could put up with Teyla, but he gave both Ford and McKay a sharp look, letting them know they weren’t going to be using him as a bolster any time soon.

Finally, it was time for everyone to ‘go to their skins’. Families broke off, disappearing as the conversation continued until only Akhiok and his family remained with the visitors.

“It pleases me to spend the night in talk,” Akhiok declared. “But tomorrow is the hunt, and we must sleep to refresh ourselves.”

Their host took them on a quick tour of the warren. Akhiok pointed out the tapestries as they moved past. The ornamental hangings were woven with bits of fur and wool, filled with festive and active scenes. He pointed out the elephant-sized animals again. “Tapas!” he cried joyfully and continued forward. Ford followed, half-supporting Teyla. McKay and Sheppard lingered a moment at the tapestry.

McKay pressed a finger to his lip as he squinted at the image. “We’ll be hunting those things? Wooly mammoths?”

“No trunk… no tusks,” Sheppard replied. “Can’t be that bad.”

“Well, what would you call that nose?”

“A nose,” Sheppard tried.

McKay frowned at the image – not quite a trunk – not just a simple muzzle. “Snout,” he decided as he examined the image of the long-nosed creatures. "Snoot? Snazzola?"

“Sure… fine,” Sheppard said with a yawn, not caring.

“Look at the size of them,” McKay hissed. “Look at the little people poking at them with pointed sticks. You can’t think that going on the ‘hunt’ is a good idea.”

Sheppard shrugged. “They seem to know what they’re doing,” he tried.

“Tapas…” McKay said and sighed. “You know, tapas are those little appetizers, those snacks. I used to go to this great Spanish place. They made the best tapas. Those kabob things we had weren’t half bad. They’d go pretty good with beer, wine…”

“…or whatever that stuff was that they were passing around,” Sheppard tried. “That was some stiff vodka, or was it gasoline?”

“Reminded me a more of slivovitz,” McKay commented.

“You get some of that in Russia?” Sheppard asked.

Rodney’s face twitched for a second at the mention of the place. “They had me go on vacation once. Went to Croatia.”

The others had moved on, and it had become obvious that they’d been lagging. Akhiok called for them, and they hurried to catch up. They moved back toward the main room, past the hole-in-the-walls that lined the hallway. Within, the Ekukians were preparing for the night, crawling into their furs.

“If you wish, you may sleep with Soldotna and myself, with our children,” Akhiok offered. “Or with Karluk and his bride, Kenai.”

Inside one hole, a pile of children filled one corner, looking messy and possibly sticky. McKay’s face grew red when looked into the other hole. The woman who’d been leaning on Karluk earlier was stripped to nothing in the dimness and was in the process of crawling beneath a set of furs with her hairy husband. The low light from the passage made her body seem to glow and the physicist stumbled into Sheppard in his haste to avert his eyes.

“How ‘bout we sleep in the great hall?” the major quickly requested.

Akhiok seemed amenable to that solution, so at least they could sleep in relative peace, and awaken for the adventure in the morning. They parted from their host and headed to the hall.

“Why don’t these people have doors?” McKay whispered as he messed with some of the furs that were left for their bedding.

“Guess they don’t have the issues that you do,” Sheppard told him. “What do you think, Teyla?” he asked the Athosian.

Teyla had found a spot along the sitting platform and wrapped herself in one of the furs. She looked at Sheppard, her eyes unfocused, her mouth pursed as if she was considering answering him.

“Go to sleep, Teyla,” John said thoughtfully.

The woman nodded, and slowly, she lay down in the fur and curled up in a ball.

“Time we all turned in,” Sheppard declared. The rest of them found spaces on the platform and tried to find someplace comfortable.

“I know I’m going to be sore in the morning,” McKay muttered as he messed about with his furs. “Probably won’t get a minute of sleep.” He looked up when both Sheppard and Ford rolled their eyes. “I’m just giving you fair warning! Don’t expect much out of me tomorrow morning,” he declared, and then turned his back to them as he tried to relax without his special-order mattress.

Ford threw his commander a grin, shaking his head – and the two of them settled in for the night as well.

 

CHAPTER 3: SHOTGUN ON A TAUN-TAUN

The great hall stayed warm during the night. Several times, Sheppard had been awakened as someone leaned over him to keep the fire burning. The major would open his eyes enough to see one of the residents feed the big stove with ‘blossum’. They’d move quickly and quietly and disappear again into their holes. It made sense now, why none of the little rooms had doors to close them off. The big stove at the center of the complex was the only heat available – and it kept the whole place nicely warmed.

He glanced about at his people as they slept. McKay, apparently, was wrong for a change and seemed to sleep like a log. Teyla stayed wrapped in furs as if she couldn’t get warm – but both McKay and Ford seemed overheated, too near the heat source, and were sprawled out on top of the furs. Maybe there was wisdom in sleeping in the nude here, Sheppard thought, as he too slept on top of the furs. Of course, he thanked any god that would listen that nobody on his team considered the possibility of sleeping without any clothing. Well – Teyla wouldn’t have been bad, but she was too wrapped up to make a difference.

He slipped in and out of sleep – never completely at ease in a situation like this. His P90 stayed near him, as if he expected some sort of attack in this calm place. But there was nothing here to worry about -- it was as Teyla insisted -- the Ekukians were peaceful people who were mostly left alone by the Wraith.

Probably too damn cold for the Wraith, Sheppard thought. They seem like the type of aliens who like things nice and warm. Probably too much trouble trying to get the Ekukians out of their holes. He could imagine their frustration.

That still didn’t mean that Rodney should be running around in that damn red parka! After the tapa hunt, they’d work out the trade – get rid of the ridiculous thing once and for all. Sheppard smiled, imaging McKay’s indignation at losing the jacket. Get rid of the damn sweater and the stupid hat, too -- the scarf as well. Did McKay have any idea how ridiculous he looked? If the Ekukians didn’t want the stuff – he’d see that it was disposed in some permanent way.

The genius would have to go back to Atlantis wrapped up in some of Akhiok’s favorite furs. The image of McKay striding into the Gateroom -- decked out like Nanook of the North – made Sheppard smile as he fell asleep again.

Suddenly, someone decided it was morning. The quiet halls came alive as the womenfolk shuffled out of their rooms to light the lanterns and stoke the fire. Then, they began the preparation of the morning meal.

Teyla managed to sit up, yet stayed huddled under her blanket, looking miserable. McKay stretched and groaned, saying, “See! See! I didn’t sleep a wink!”

The men appeared, and everyone gorged on a breakfast of porridge – and then, in groups, the men threw on their furs and disappeared through the doorway. “Remain here,” Akhiok told the guests. “We will call for you when we are ready for you.”

Sheppard watched the last of the men leave, feeling a bit ‘off’ by just sitting around doing nothing. But, if this was what their hosts wanted – he’d do as asked.

Pulling on his boots, Ford asked, “We’re really going to go with them to hunt those big monster things?”

“Yup,” John responded. “It’d only be right.”

“I have serious reservations about that,” McKay input. “Honestly, I don’t think I should be involved. First off, after that miserable night’s sleep, I don’t think I’m up to it. Secondly, I’m not much good at… you know… spearing giant elephant creatures.”

“Won’t know until you try,” Sheppard said with a smile. “You’re a good shot with the 9mm,” John commended, knowing that Rodney took some pride in his accuracy – as he took pride in everything he did to perfection. “Bet you can handle a spear just fine.”

The praise made Rodney lift an eyebrow.

John nodded in thanks as one of the women brought him a steaming cup of … something. He sniffed at it, not sure what to make of the heady odor. Hopefully it wasn’t made out of the same stuff that stoked the fire. He tried a sip and found it almost drinkable. Still, it made his tongue shrivel a bit.

McKay muttered, “You can’t honestly expect me to join in a hunt?” He was handed a cup as well, and looked anxiously at the woman who brought it. “Coffee?” he asked, and then tried, “Café? java, joe?” He pointed at the contents intensely.

She smiled and said, “Kepke,” as she handed another to Ford.

“Any of that… tapa blossom in here?” Sheppard asked hesitantly.

All of the women within hearing distance broke off in laughter – and twittered among those that hadn’t heard. McKay looked at his mug in revulsion.

Laughing still, one of the women explained. “It’s tea. Made from leaves gathered in the summer. No tapa.” And they all laughed again. She added, “It is good for you. Will build up your bones.”

“Big bones,” McKay muttered, sniffing it, then taking a tentative sip. “Just what I need.”

Teyla took her mug when it was offered and brought it in under the blanket with her, holding it close to her face.

“Anyway,” McKay continued. “It would probably be best if I remain here. I wouldn’t want to get hurt and everyone realizes that it would be a horrible loss to everyone in Atlantis if something were to happen to me.”

“Our hosts have asked us along,” Sheppard said evenly. “It’s only polite to accept their offer. I think Atlantis could handle that.”

Making a face, McKay stated, “I don’t think I’m athletic enough to keep up.”

“You’ll manage,” Sheppard responded, taking a sip of the brew. It wasn’t half-bad, he decided, once you got over the earthy smell.

“Really, I’d rather not have to kill something,” McKay said in a rush, he set the mug down to gesture. “I have issues with killing other living creatures. I take exception with the wraith because they’re so damn creepy, and somehow I don’t think of them as ‘living’ in the general sense. They’re not like us. I mean, not living like you and me, or Ford or Teyla here, you know?” He gestured to the other two. Ford chuckled at the inclusion and Teyla just winced, huddling further into her blankets. “Okay, and those bug creatures. I’d be okay with killing those. Bugs, I don’t need, you know? Bugs can die.”

John made a face at the mention of the bugs. Yeah, he had to agree with Rodney on that one.

McKay continued, “Spider especially – not that they’re technically ‘bugs’ – they’re arachnids.”

“McKay,” Sheppard groaned.

“I just can’t see myself running up to one of those giant creatures, saying, ‘how-de-do,’ and then jabbing a stick through his heart.”

“You’ll manage,” Sheppard repeated.

“What if I get blood on my parka? You know isn’t coming out!”

With a shrug, Sheppard told him. “It wouldn’t show up with all that red.” Taking another draught, he gazed toward Teyla. “You okay?”

“I am fine,” Teyla answered succinctly.

“You sure?” John continued. “’Cause you don’t look so good.”

“I assure you, Major, I am well,” Teyla responded, smiling tightly. She continued to hold the mug close to her face, breathing in the steam, but not drinking from it.

“What? Is she sick?” McKay asked, alarmed. He scooted a few inches from her. “Because I am very susceptible to catching colds. I mean, if anyone in the lab sneezes…” he snapped his fingers. “I’m the next one to catch it. Just like that.”

Sheppard leaned close to the Athosian, taking in her pale features. “I’m thinkin’ you should stay behind, Teyla,” he said softly. 

“Ah, yes, excellent idea,” McKay commented, picking up his mug to take a drink. He grimaced as he got a good taste of the liquid, and then choked rather dramatically. He rapped a fist against his chest as he continued magnanimously, “I’ll stay with her. Keep an eye on our young lady and ensure that she takes care of herself.”

“That is unnecessary,” Teyla said darkly, narrowing her eyes at the Canadian. “I assure you.”

“You’re staying here,” Sheppard insisted, pointing a finger at the platform that had formed their bed. He turned to McKay and added, “But you’re coming with us.” Rodney’s grin fell. Sheppard added with a glance to the Athosian, “I’m sure some time 'alone' will make you feel better in no time.”

And that made the ailing Athosian smile.

There was a bustle at the doorway and suddenly Akhiok and Karluk shuffled in, all dusted with snow. “Come, come!” Akhiok encouraged. “Our rides are ready. The others have already gone ahead of us.”

With a pained sigh, McKay was dragged to his feet and ushered toward the door by the major. Ford followed. At the doorway, they quickly suited up while Akhiok and Karluk continued through to the outdoors.

Sheppard muttered when he saw Rodney putting on that awful jacket. 

“What?” McKay responded to the unhappy sound.

“Really should have left that one at home,” John declared.

“And how is this so much worse than the beige one?” McKay spouted resentfully as he plucked at the lined collar. “Honestly, that one was just as obvious when we were walking through a forest.”

“We’re not in a forest, McKay,” Sheppard grumbled. “We’ll be in snow -- white snow. Beige would have blended in a little better. You look like a giant RED cranberry!”

McKay scowled. “Okay then. I shouldn’t be going,” he declared flatly. 

“McKay, you’re coming,” Sheppard responded abruptly. “You’re not getting out of this!”

In a huff, McKay zipped up his parka. “Fine. Great. So you have no right to make me the butt of your jokes if I fall on my face while trying to chase down one of these things. Probably fall on my ass.”

The major smiled broadly as he readied himself for the cold. “Oh, I didn’t say we wouldn’t laugh…”

Ford cut in with, “What do you think he meant by… ‘our rides are ready’?”

“You don’t know what ‘ride’ means?” McKay shot back.

Ford grumbled and shook his head as he secured his jacket. “You think we’re gonna be on horses or something?” He looked between the two men. “Or maybe something like those kangaroo things in Star Wars… back when the movies were good?”

McKay chuckled. “Ah, “Empire Strikes Back” – great movie. The best of the series. Well, unless you remember Leia's slave-girl outfit in "Return of the Jedi." He paused a moment, letting out a sigh. "I haven’t had a chance to check out any of the new ones. The last of them must have been released by now.” He pulled on his gloves. “Funny what you miss out on, being away from earth, huh?” He looked melancholy at that thought, then grew apprehensive. “You think we’ll have to ride something like those taun-tauns from the ice planet Hoth? Okay, I’m definitely out of this! No way! No how! I am not going to be riding on any unnatural animals! My back isn’t up to that sort of abuse!” And he tried to remove his gloves in a flourish, but couldn’t get a grip on them.

Floundering with his attempt to get out of his gloves, McKay had no protection against Sheppard who shoved him through the first layer of cloth doors and into the small chamber that kept them from the outside. McKay hopped for a moment in the dark room to catch his balance. “I don’t appreciate…”

“We’re going,” Sheppard insisted, “I don’t care if we’re ridin’ tigers or alpacas or big fluffy rabbits. We’re going!”

“No,” McKay snapped back. And then a roar filled the air. Rodney cringed, moving back toward the inner door as the noise continued.

Sheppard smiled as the sound become a purr, and pushed back the outer curtain to grin at the sight that met him.

“Halooo!” Akhiok greeted from his seat on what appeared to be a snowmobile. Beside him, Karluk was finishing filling his own machine with fuel. The bottle looked curiously similar to the one they’d imbibed from the pervious night. “Are you ready?” their host asked.

Sheppard glanced to McKay, noting that the reticence had been replaced with a look of childlike eagerness. Ford, stepping past them, shouted, “Shotgun!” as he sprinted toward the nearest of the machines. Sheppard went after.

 

CHAPTER 4: SKIDDING

The snowmobiles sped across the white plain. Akhiok had called the machine a ‘skid’ but Sheppard still thought of them as snowmobiles. Ford, having chosen the first skid, ended up straddling a seat behind Karluk. Sheppard, sadly, ended up sandwiched between Akhiok and McKay – not a position he relished, but he’d be damned if he’d sit on the back of the machine. It was McKay’s fault of course. He’d been last to reach the skids and had to make the choice of where to ride.

From this position, Sheppard could look around the Ekukian and watch him manipulate the vehicle and figure out how to drive the thing -- reason enough to be in the second seat. At least he didn’t have Rodney clutching him around the middle – the seats had backrests, and handgrips were cleverly placed along the sides -- making their journey a bit less embarrassing.

The machine ran remarkably well, and the engine responded happily as Akhiok gunned it. The controls were easy to understand, and Sheppard nodded to himself as Akhiok guided the vehicles over hillocks and dips.

Speaking of dips, he could hear McKay’s little exclamations every time they took air and jounced over the snowy ground. Sheppard couldn’t help but smile at the strangely happy curses.

Karluk kept up with them -- sometimes riding beside them, plowing through the snow -- sometimes Karluk’s skid fell in behind. Sheppard caught sight of Ford grinning like an idiot, laughing out loud as he glanced across at them – laughing at McKay probably. John took a glance behind him, finding McKay smirking blissfully, and clinging onto the grips as if his life depended on it.

They were going up – following trails left by the others – steadily climbing to the top of the highest hill in the area. Sheppard took a moment to adjust his sunglasses again, and wished he’d brought goggles. Akhiok had offered up a spare set, and McKay had been quick to snatch them up – crude things – made from leather and some scratched plastic that had been scavenged from a trade item, no doubt. Rodney looked like an idiot in goggles – especially with the proud smirk he’d worn upon donning them. McKay could have them, John figured. Still, he couldn’t help but be a little jealous as the ice stung at his eyes.

The ride was … great, god-damn fucking great, Sheppard decided. A little snow was falling, just tiny, rice-sized bits, floating calmly to the ground. The wind was cold on his face – numbing his cheeks, but he was rather comfortable, all things considered. It was like someone’s dream of winter – cold and white – snow everywhere. The landscape was Christmas Card gorgeous. God, he loved this! He grinned until his teeth showed. It had been ages since he’d been able to get out and just have fun. How long had it been? Hell, even during his years in Antarctica he’d rarely been able to get outside.

Akhiok took another mogul, and the machine was airborne for a moment – and a ‘whoop’ escaped Sheppard. They plowed up and over another hummock, landing with a ‘whump’, and a squeak from McKay, and suddenly they had reached the top of the world – and caught up with the rest of their group.

The others in their party stood a short distance from them. They raised their arms in greeting, and great shouts of camaraderie went up. Akhiok jumped from his seat, ran toward the others and clomped to his friends, greeting them with bear hugs.

The group huddled together. They patted each other on the backs, talking quietly, probably discussing the hunt, maybe commenting on the squealing of certain passengers. Several held weapons -- not simple, pointed sticks, but something closer to harpoon guns. Around them, dogs lounged on the snow – big white dogs that seemed to be a cross between Malamutes, Mastiffs and Irish Wolfhounds, but with the fluffy fur of Malamutes.

“Sure are an expressive bunch,” McKay muttered. He struggled to shove the goggles up, as more hugging took place with the bunch. His bulky gloves and the fleecy cap didn’t help him with his action, but he managed it after a fashion. Stiffly, he tried to get off the back of the machine, but just couldn’t get his leg lifted over the seat.

Sheppard sighed, realizing that there was no sense waiting for McKay to get out of the way, and quickly disembarked from the skid, leaving Rodney to struggle.

Sheppard gazed off into the distance, to where the ground dropped away and the white world went on beyond that. It was gorgeous, he decided. Just as pretty as anything. They were quite a ways up. The snow still fell, slow and mesmerizing, like a dance in the wind. Trees, half buried, stood out in the white. Something brown – maybe rocks of various brown hues – cluttered the valley. Little else broke the cool snowy cover.

Ford joined them as Rodney finally got to his feet. The lieutenant was grinning like a madman. “Okay,” he uttered. “That was cool!”

“Cool,” Sheppard repeated with a nod. “Yup.”

“Think they’ll let us give it a try?” Ford asked excitedly.

John gave him a smile as he dipped his head. “We’ll see what we can arrange. Don’t know if we should let McKay at the controls. We know how he tends to weave when he’s driving.” He made a ‘fish-tailing’ gesture with one hand, and turned to the scientist with a grin.

Rodney gave him an annoyed look. “I've driven a Ski-doo before. And at least I’d be able to get us home,” he responded sharply.

“Hey!” Sheppard responded sharply. “I was paying attention to where we were going! The Gate is…” he took a moment to get his bearings. “That way!” and he pointed.

With a shake of the head, Rodney crossed his arms over his puffy red chest and tsked.

Sheppard scowled. “I’ll prove it,” he growled and strode closer to the edge of the cliff that separated them from the valley. He squinted when he reached a safe distance from the end. His finger still pointed, but at nothing. Okay, the Ring of the Ancients wasn’t where he expected it to be. “So, I’m off a bit. Bet it’s just behind that big brown rock.”

“You sure that’s a rock, Major?” Ford asked. "Because it's kinda moving."

He cocked his head at the big thing when he saw it move. He waited a moment to be sure. Far down below, it shambled, kicking up snow and tossing its big head about. A big, furry, moving rock. “Okay…okay… that’s a big freaking tapa.”

“We’re hunting those things?” McKay cried. “Oh, God. There’s six of them down there. How do they expect us to…”

“Friends!” Akhiok shouted as he clomped toward them. “Friends, we have spotted our quarry!” He gestured toward the beasts that they’d already seen. “Unfortunately they are poorly placed.” He sighed. “We would have preferred to find them on the other side of Big Snowy.” He pointed to his feet to indicate the snowy mound beneath them.

“Why would you want to find them over there?” Ford asked.

“Ah, because it would have been easier to make the kill,” Akhiok explained. “We would have simply herded them up the sloped side of the hill and…” He made a gesture with his hand, like pushing something toward the cliff. “…we’d run the entire herd right off the edge.”

McKay gulped and leaned forward to get a good look at the descent. “That hardly seems sporting!” he declared as he edged back. “It’s barbaric!”

“Such a kill would supply us with enough meat to trade for whatever we wanted,” Akhiok quickly countered. “And would be quickly done with little danger to our people. You do want to barter for meat?”

“Yeah, McKay,” Sheppard added. “You seemed to like those kabobs from last night. You know, meat doesn’t grow on trees.”

Rodney put his hands on his hips – making him look even puffier. “Well, yes, I know. But I, like most rational people, would rather not have to deal with messy steps involved.”

“You think poking them with sticks is any less messy?” Ford asked.

“Just seems to give them a fighting chance, that’s all,” Rodney added. The goggles started to slip into his eyes and he shoved them back up onto his cap again, sighing with frustration.

“True, true,” the Ekukian responded. “But we won’t be using the hard fall. They’re in the wrong place. But we know where they are and can plan our strategy. Now, we will need to return to the valley and surround the tapas.” He held out his arms, as if to encircle the creatures he was talking about. He paused to look up at the others. “We shall use our skids and our itnas to chase them down.”

“Ah… dare I ask…?” McKay started, “What is an itna?”

“Itnas?” Akhiok repeated, his grin filling his face. He turned toward the other Ekukians and whistled sharply. The big white dogs came to attention. Akhiok whistled again, changing the tone, and about three of the smallish ones started toward him at a happy trot. The rest, the bigger ones, were restrained on ropes and seemed annoyed that they couldn’t join the loose ones.

Sheppard frowned, watching the dogs move. There was something damn familiar about them. Maybe it was just a memory of home, and he smiled slightly as the doggies jogged toward them. It was rather nice, he thought, to have something as normal as dogs in this world. But his smile dropped when he heard a strange, strangled, “Oh, God,” come from beside him.

Sheppard turned to see Rodney’s red back as he took off, trying to run through the thick snow back to the snow-skids. “McKay?” John called. “What the hell are you doing?”

The dogs, trotting toward their master, hesitated, looking at the big red target in movement. They gazed a moment at the running man, their tongues lolling as if they were sharing a joke, and then changed direction.

Akhiok let out an exasperated sigh as the dogs chased after the scientist. He whistled again, but the animals didn’t stop – instead they picked up their pace. “They are not always as responsive as I’d like,” Akhiok admitted, chagrinned. “They hunt by sight and will chase down anything that moves.”

“McKay!” Sheppard shouted at the evading Canadian. “If you just stop running around like an ass, they’ll leave you alone!”

The rest of the Ekukians had stopped their conversation and were watching the itnas’ behavior in silence. Rodney had made it to the closest snowmobile, and the animals separated to circle around and contain him. The dogs leaped and dodged. Rodney stopped, looked around frantically and jumped onto the running board of the skid.

Sheppard shook his head with a smirk, finding some amusement at his teammate’s antics, until he got a good look at the man. “Rodney?” McKay’s eyes were wide, and his face drawn in terror as he stumbled, trying to get away.

Sheppard watched in curiosity for a moment, then called “Call them off.” As Akhiok whistled again, John stepped forward. “Rodney!” he shouted, concerned. “Just stop moving and they’ll leave you alone. They’re just playing!” He tried to get closer, but the group’s erratic movements brought them further away from him, following the hilltop.

“Yeah, Dr. McKay,” Ford added. “They’re just having some fun.” And he chuckled a bit at the scientist’s predicament.

Akhiok whistled again. He laughed at the gyrations of the animals, then shouted a command. The dogs hesitated a moment, seeming to think over whether or not they should obey. They looked to their man, mouths open, showing off their teeth. Only one of the three came to Akhiok. The other two continued their torment of McKay.

Rodney kept running, dodging and feinting, trying to get away.

“McKay!” Sheppard shouted. “Stop moving! Your just encouraging them!” He made a step in their direction as Rodney darted through the snow, with the dogs right behind him – they herded him in one direction.

“Damn it,” Sheppard muttered. “Stop!”

But Rodney wouldn’t stop running about, and the dogs wouldn’t leave him alone.

“McKay!” Sheppard tried again, his face growing red as he shouted.

The animals kept after Rodney. They seemed intelligent in their attempts to catch him, determined to not allow his escape. They yipped, calling and then they started uttering an uncanny, guttural laugh.

The sound brought Sheppard up short. Oh God… he turned toward Ford, who hadn't moved far. The dogs made the sound again -- that familiar horrible chuckle of the devil dogs. A new chill found him – he felt cold to the bone.

Ford went a little pale as his eyes widened in recognition. “Oh shit…” was all Aiden could say.

Sheppard spun about, spotting the one itna that had obeyed Akhiok. It lay on its stomach at the Ekukian’s feet, gazing up at him with strangely blue eyes, gibbering quietly as it stretched out its neck in submission. “Good boy,” Akhiok crooned at the animal. “You’re my special one, aren’t you?”

The last time Sheppard had seen animals of this sort, the creatures were starved, nearly bald, and burned by the sun. They’d been wild and savage. The last time he’d come across them, they’d nearly killed McKay – had almost torn him to pieces.

The two who chased McKay were growling. Their teeth shone. They weren't playing any longer.

“Call them off!” Sheppard demanded, striding toward Akhiok. “Now! This isn’t funny! Call them back, NOW!” He pulled his berretta from its holster. “Stop them, now, or I’ll do it myself!”

The two animals kept chasing as McKay galumphed through the snow. He flapped his arms at them, trying to get them off. His goggles had fallen down over his eyes, and he should have looked ridiculous as he moved about, panicked, with dogs leaping at him, snapping. They hung onto his coat, determined to bring him down.

At the sight of the weapon, Akhiok’s eyes went wide. “It’s only play,” he insisted. “He won’t be harmed. They’re playful pups.” He pointed to the one at his feet that rolled onto its back, exposing its belly. “They don’t always listen to commands, but they are good animals.”

Nightmares of their time on the island world returned to Sheppard – devil dogs, with their pink skin and blue eyes, their awful laughing. They'd torn into McKay. He remembered Rodney ripped up and bleeding, almost dying. Vividly, Sheppard remembered how one of the things tried to drag McKay into the undergrowth to finish him.

Sheppard leveled his weapon at the nearest one as it leaped, biting onto McKay’s flailing sleeves and trying to yank him down. Rodney managed to fling the animal off, and spun about to get away from the other. The major drew a bead on it as it clamped onto that stupid red jacket– and he sucked in his breath in disbelief as man and animal simply disappeared.

McKay made only a started sound – something like a ‘yipe!’ that was quickly carried away.

John lowered the weapon, astonished, as everyone around him shouted, putting up a tremendous ruckus. The last pursuing dog cocked its head, looking about in confusion for its playmates. The major spun toward Ford, demanding answers. The young lieutenant yelled frantically as he ran, “He went over the cliff! He went over the edge!”

 

CHAPTER 5: OVER THE EDGE

“Rodney!” John’s voice was low as he ran, slowing as he reached the edge. He gripped his weapon, holding it against his leg, even though it wasn’t particularly useful anymore. McKay had disappeared so quickly – only a startled cry and then nothing. Sheppard listened, yearning to hear more. Below him and hidden from view he could hear a muffled thudding of something sliding viciously through snow. The sound grew fainter and further away.

The remaining itna jumped about, snapping. All of the dogs were keyed up now, yowling and crying. Behind him, the Ekukians tried to calm the unhappy animals. They’d damn well better, Sheppard thought, because if any of the creatures got in his way, he’d shoot it down. “Rodney!”

He huffed out a breath, moving quickly yet being careful as he neared the edge, seeing where the snow had broken away. The major leaned, his heart pounding. “Rodney…” almost a whisper.

The snow had built up at the lip of the cliff, giving it a false-edge. A platform of unsupported snow jetted out about two or three feet from where the cliff actually ended, and a gapping hole was left where McKay had stepped through it.

John stilled his breath, stretching to see, wanting to scream out, but memories of mountain adventure movies plagued him and he wasn’t about to bring an avalanche down by calling too loudly. He grimaced as the damn dog kept running about, yipping and snapping, not heeding the half-hearted commands of his owners.

Squinting against the glare of the snow, Sheppard looked to a ledge about ten feet below. A few rocks shown through, and a white form curled there – the itna that had taken down McKay. It lay, splayed, among the rocks.

“McKay,” he tried again, his voice level. He reached for his radio, thumbing the controls and called again, “McKay. McKay, respond, now! McKay!” You stupid son of a bitch, just answer me!

No response – nothing. Even the quiet sound of tumbling snow had stopped.

“Major!” Ford hissed, obviously struck by the same avalanche fear. “You see anything?”

Sheppard breathed in slowly, seeing where the channel in the snow continued, over the lip of that ledge. And nothing else -- Rodney was gone. Damn… damn… damn…

He stepped back, edging from the cliff, then in a quick movement, came about and took a quick stride toward Akhiok.

The man met him with hands up, as if in surrender. “They’re playful creatures,” the Ekukian tried to explain. “Sometimes they do not know their own strength. One shouldn’t encourage them. It’s difficult to control itnas once they’ve…”

“I need a rope!” Sheppard growled.

Karluk had gone to see where the physicist had fallen. He came back, and said softly to his brother, “He went beyond the first ledge.” He glanced to Sheppard and shook his head.

Akhiok sucked at his teeth.

“A rope!” Sheppard repeated, his voice low. “Get me a goddamn rope so I can go after my man!”

Looking conciliatory, Akhiok explained quickly, “If he went beyond the first ledge, then he would have continued to the bottom of the hill.”

“It drops straight off?” Ford asked, his voice tight.

“No,” Akhiok quickly assured. “But it is very steep. It is like a…” and he made a sweeping motion with one arm, “…a chute. It will drop him down to the valley.” He nodded, trying to look hopefully. “It is possible that he is well. It has happened before. Once, during a chase, a hunter went over with the quarry.” He smiled. “He was drunk at the time, which explains his lack of common sense, but was fine when he reached the bottom.” Akhiok clapped Sheppard on the arm, finding him stiff as stone. “Your friend is lucky that he didn’t go over with a herd of tapas.”

“The fall killed the damn dog!” Sheppard snarled. “Who’s to say Rodney didn’t get knocked around in those rocks, too?”

The man in fur stepped back from the major and crinkled his nose. “We shall see. Naknek was not killed.”

“The same idiot that got himself stuck on that island and got all his people killed?” Sheppard barked back at him. “Let his people get trapped and killed by his own dogs?”

Akhiok gave him a stunned look. “Naknek?” he tried.

Sheppard stormed on. “I’m going after my man!” A white dog kept running around the group, snipping at them, making everyone jump. It growled, its hackles raised. Further away, near the rest of the hunters, the other itnas strained at their tethers.

Sheppard turned to the cliff, his eyes on the break in the snow where McKay fell through. “Damn it, McKay,” he growled. He wanted to follow him over the edge of the cliff, wanted to try rappelling. He remembered how long it had taken to drive up the hill – it’d take forever to reach the valley floor. He had no false aspirations – it was an awful long way down.

Damn it, McKay.

Beneath him, the cold of the snow seemed to seep into him – chilling him – freezing him bit by bit.

God, he was wasting time. He had to go – now!

There was a pip and a roar. Sheppard turned to find Ford had started up one of the skids, and was revving the engine. Setting his mouth in a thin line, the major pushed past Akhiok and the others to stride toward the snowmobile that Ford had claimed. 

 

CHAPTER 6: A QUIET CALL

Teyla lifted her head from her arms and glanced around at the great hall. The women had finished their morning preparations and had settled in to wait for the return of the men. They sat in little groups, working at tapestries, and speaking in quiet tones. They huddled together, wearing bright head coverings, looking cozy and warm. Hushed little children sat with them, either sewing with their mothers, or playing quietly with simple toys.

The Athosian blinked, wondering what was wrong.

Soldotna lifted her gaze from her work, and noted that Teyla had awakened. The Ekukian smiled. “Good day,” she said softly, setting down her work. “Are you feeling better?”

Teyla squinted, her head still throbbing. But a new ache had descended on her – something different from before. She listened, but the room was quiet, save for the quiet ‘tick’ of needles against bone thimbles, and the whisk of thread being pulled through fabric.

“Is everything well?” Teyla asked.

The women looked amongst themselves, and Soldotna replied, “It’s quiet. Soon, we will begin preparations for the hunters to return. Then we shall be busy, very busy. We are enjoying this moment of peace.”

Sitting up, Teyla continued to glance around the room, unable to shake the unsettled feeling that had awakened her. She felt for her radio, but the earpiece had fallen to her chest. She was almost certain she’d heard a cry.

It was a dream – undoubtedly a dream. Yes, she convinced herself, an unpleasant dream. She should be happy that she’d awakened from it.

Most of the women continued their work, sewing the elaborate tapestries – winter work – meant to keep hands busy during the months of stillness. The cloth they charted was mostly bare – the season was only beginning. Soldotna stood and filled a cup with their rich tea. Wordlessly, she brought it to Teyla and sat beside her. With a warm expression she gave it to her guest, holding the mug in both hands.

Teyla sipped at the brew, and nodded her thanks to the woman. A moment passed, as the other women worked and Soldotna sat in silence by her side.

Continuing to listen, Teyla heard nothing that would have explained what had awakened her. A yelp…she strained, trying to remember the cry exactly – it was almost like a…. ‘yipe’. Realizing how vivid the sound had been, she reached for her radio and adjusted it. It was possible that she’d heard something from the dislodged earpiece. She’d kept the connection open, wanting to listen in on the boys even if she couldn’t be with them, but she’d been unable to get a connection to them.

She fiddled with the controls, trying again. “Major Sheppard,” she called. “Lt. Ford? Dr. McKay?” and nothing.

Discouraged, Teyla sipped again at the mug. “All is well here?” she asked softly.

“Yes,” Soldotna assured.

“How long have they been gone?”

“It’s still morning,” Soldotna told her. “We don’t expect their return until mid-day. They will bring us the game and we shall prepare it as it comes.” She narrowed her eyes. “Do you think something has gone wrong?”

“Perhaps,” Teyla returned after a pause and she touched her radio’s controls again. “Major Sheppard,” she tried, and only static was returned. She turned a questioning eye on Soldotna, who returned the look with puzzlement. “It is a device for communicating with people over distance,” the Athosian explained.

Soldotna nodded. “Yes, visitors have brought such in the past. They don’t appear to work well here,” she explained. “Perhaps it’s the cold?”

Teyla doubted that ‘cold’ would affect their technology. She tried once more without result, then asked, “Is there a way to follow the others? To ensure that nothing has happened, without causing undo alarm?”

The women all shook their heads, creating a vision of a field of flowers waving in the breeze. “It is a big hunt, and visitors are attending,” Soldotna declared. “We have no extra working vehicles.” 

Kenai stated slyly, “Now if my husband would get busy with those that need repair, we’d have extras for such use.”

With a grimace, Teyla stood and paced, clutching the mug to her chest.

“You are worried about your friends?” Soldotna asked.

Teyla tried to look confident. “Certainly they are fine. They are competent men.”

One of the younger women, Nenana, looked up with a worried exclamation. “The one who wears the leaf,” she started. “Certainly, he is well.”

“Doctor McKay,” Teyla helpfully filled in.

“Ah yes,” Hoonah, another of the young women, stated. And she looked to Nenana with a smile. “He is handsome.”

Nenana, blushed, and returned her attention to the work.

When Teyla looked a question, Soldotna filled in, “The leaf is a sign if vitality and virility for our people.”

Nenana and Hoonah giggled explosively. Teyla could only shake her head in response.

 

CHAPTER 7: DOWNHILL

Ford voiced no complaint when Sheppard took the driver’s seat. The lieutenant quickly settled into the second position. Akhiok looked as if he wanted to tell them something, but following a fierce look from Sheppard, the Ekukian scuttled back, resigned to taking a seat behind brother.

Once he was settled, Sheppard gunned the engine and was gone. He took the lead, until Karluk came around him, shouting that he’d show him the best way down – and so the major fell in behind as they sped down the hill. 

John just hoped to God that someone had gone back to the compound for help. He rather doubted that the Ekukians were doing anything to find McKay – and he gripped the controls tightly, trying not to think about how long this was taking. Behind him he could hear Ford attempting to contact Teyla via radio.

“Can’t reach her!” Ford shouted into his ear.

“Great,” was all Sheppard could say.

“Wonder why the radio isn’t working right,” Ford questioned.

Sheppard had no idea. McKay would know. Damn it, McKay…

He didn’t even called out for help, Sheppard realized. When the animals were attacking – McKay never sought assistance. Why not? Damn it! Why didn’t he shoot the damn things! He had his sidearm! If he’d just …

The skids roared down the hillside, descending quickly, skipping over the whiteness. The lead skid threw up a curtain of snow and Sheppard tried to protect his eyes against it by ducking his head, determined to get to the bottom of the hill and get across to find McKay. Were they still going in the wrong direction, getting further from the spot where McKay fell?

“We’re going the wrong way,” he stated, wishing that McKay were there to offer up misgivings regarding a certain major’s directional sensibilities.

Instead of speculation, he heard a “Yes, sir,” from behind him.

We should be turning soon, Sheppard considered. We’re getting further away and we’ll have to go around this whole damn hill once we’re off of it. They were getting nowhere fast.

Sheppard found his frustration growing as he followed Karluk. More than once, he’d nearly ridden up over the back end of the lead skid, as the brother slowed too often. 

Fed up, Sheppard came alongside, shouting across, “What’s your problem?”

It was Akhiok who called back, “We can’t risk the engines!”

“Fuck that!” Sheppard barked back, ready to pass the man and take his chances on finding his way through the trails.

“Wait!” Akhiok yelled across. “You must follow us! If you go too far to the left, you’ll find the way too steep.”

Sheppard turned his attention to the trail in front of him as he swerved around a tree and came back into position alongside the other skid. “But he’s over there!” and he jerked his head to the left.

“Yes, but…” Akhiok grimaced within his hood. “It’s unsafe! Too steep! Follow us! We’ll be down from the hill soon and then we’ll…”

Sheppard growled, glaring at the Ekukian, who looked pretty darn worthless. He gave the controls a jerk and took the skid through a break in the trees, heading toward the left, to where the terrain grew steeper, but they would be moving closer to where McKay had fallen.

 

CHAPTER 8: WHITE

White – everything was white. It had come at him – white. A wall of white – flying at him like a cannon ball – a great white cannon ball – but as wide as the world. He vaguely remembered hitting it – slamming into it – harder than any white should allow. Something had fallen with him – white again.

He rolled through it – seeing white white and white, and fell again.

He landed hard and it’d momentarily knocked the wind out of him. He rolled and turned, tossing over the white – aware of nothing but the whiteness of it – he was dizzy with it. He fought to stop, but laws of gravity and motion were pissed off at him, and he was at their mercy.

It hurt. Goddamn it, it hurt. He slammed into something – and fell, he tossed, he turned, over and over again -- from the white of the ground to the white of the sky, the white that seemed to go to powder-white all around him, and white again as he fell, unable to do a thing to stop it. It all spun past him so quickly, he had no way of discerning anything – nothing outside of the white.

He fell, and kept spinning, and impacting, and fell again, plummeting to crash once more, to land on his side in the white.

Pooofff

Then stillness.

His mind seemed to go white for a while – just a great white openness where nothing existed.

Slowly he began to differentiate one form of white from another -- the white yawning emptiness of his consciousness – the cold cold whiteness around him. He blinked. One eye was dark – the other light. From the light eye, he saw snow crystals caked in his lashes. 

He stared at the ice, fascinated with the way the white shown like jewels. There were colors in that crystal. All the colors of the rainbow – and for a moment he focused only on those colors – the colors that played through the ice – creating rainbows -- a meteorological phenomenon -- the spectrum of light.

White light holds all the colors of the rainbow, and can be easily differentiated when properly refracted.

Light. There was light. He tried to twist his head toward it, but pain ratcheted through him and he stilled. Light… light and white – it was all he could see.

Except – one eye was dark – dark and light and white.

Time passed. He drifted. He didn't know for how long. He tried to move, but felt encompassed by the whiteness, as if it contained him, as if it had swallowed him up. He couldn’t escape. He felt so tired. It would be so easy to just relax into the white, to sleep in the white, to become the white.

White – a white creature – snapping and yipping and laughing.

Oh God… he remembered… he remembered the white… the white dogs that turned pink in the sun…They’d come at him … they’d come at him again.

Again…

Oh God!

And he threw up an arm, trying to turn, to get away, and the white overcame him again.

White.

 

CHAPTER 9: RED

“Red!” Ford shouted at the same moment that Sheppard had seen the flash. Red – for a moment the color had shown in the distance, below them, in the empty white expanse of the valley floor.

“Thank God,” Sheppard breathed out as he gunned the engine. The skid came down the steep hillside, skittering one way and then the other in a loosy-goosy gyration. “Keep an eye on him!” Sheppard ordered.

Ford’s gaze tried to stay on that point in the snow where he’d seen the momentary red flag. The snowmobile went this way and that as Sheppard fought to keep control of it on the too steep terrain.

Thank God, Sheppard repeated to himself. Thank God for pig-headed Canadians that want to wear their damn red jackets on a white planet. God, I love that jacket!

He half-stood as he tried to keep control of the machine, careening toward the bottom of the mountain, keeping an eye on that spot in the snow. If it hadn’t been for that jacket…

Jerking the controls, John narrowly missed a stump, spinning the machine about and ducking it down again. There’d been no sign of Akhiok and Karluk. If they’d followed – they were far behind. Somehow, Sheppard figured those two had kept on their original course – damn them! For people known as hunters, the Ekukians were downright timid.

“See him?” Sheppard called as he steered sharply again, nearly running into a tree. The skid handled relatively well, all things considered – a little adjustment here and there and it might run like a dream. “Any sign?”

“I haven’t… uff… seen anything,” Ford responded, his focus on the distance, looking out into the white snowfield. “Come on, Doc. Do it again…”

Their rear whacked a tree as the major turned sharply again and kept going. He lifted his eyes, to gaze off into that whiteness, hoping for red. The snowmobile skittered, and he fought to keep it on course as it took another downward dive. “Oh crap…” Sheppard hissed as the world went out from beneath them, and he faced a drop that was far too steep this time. “Hang on!” he shouted, as the vehicle went almost vertical, slamming hard on its nose.

Ford fell forward onto Sheppard’s seatback as the skid stayed upright for a moment, then twisted sideways.

Sheppard closed his eyes, preparing for impact as he clutched at the handles and the engine roared. He slammed down on his side, whumping into the snow. His sunglasses had disappeared, and for a second, he was still, feeling the machine’s vibration as he lay half in a snow bank, yet still straddling the skid’s seat – catching his breath.

“Ford?” he twisted, trying to find the lieutenant, but was pressed too deeply into the snow by the weight of the skid. The engine was racing uselessly, and he quickly killed it, to at least rid himself of the constant noise.

And suddenly, everything was silent – the kind of silence that only comes with snow. He glanced over his shoulder, surprised to find no one behind him, and before he could shout out again, he found Aiden standing beside him.

“Major?” the lieutenant called. “Are you all right, sir?”

“How’d you…?” Sheppard started, glancing up at the young man. “How’d you get out from under it?”

“I jumped,” Aiden said with a smile, brushing at the snow that covered him. “You okay, sir?”

“Yeah, fine,” John answered quickly. And he pressed against the toppled machine that pinned him. “Get this off of me!”

The snow had taken the impact, molding around his leg and the skid. It took some effort, but Ford was able to lift the cocooned machine with some help from his CO. As soon as the weight was removed, Sheppard scuttled out from under the thing, and Ford let it fall back into position.

Huffing as he stood, Sheppard tested his leg. He glared at the wreck. The front rails were twisted from the awkward collision. “Son of a bitch,” he growled, kicking the thing with his booted foot, and wincing as his knee told him it wasn’t quite as sound as it had been this morning.

“It’ll never go straight again,” Ford muttered as he took in the sight. “Not without a trip to the shop. Figure they got one handy?”

“Great…” Sheppard groaned, and then stepped around the thing. “How far?”

Pointing, Ford showed the way. “That way,” he said. “Not sure about the distance, but it shouldn’t be too bad now.”

“Grab our packs,” Sheppard called. “We’re going.”

Ford drew back and rooted around the skid a moment. “Ah, sir,” he said resignedly, “I hate to say this… but…” He paused as if dreading what he had to say. “We got on the wrong snow-skid.”

“What?” Sheppard shot back.

“I don’t think it belongs to Karluk. I left my pack with his.” Ford sounded resigned and apologetic. “Didn’t look at which one I grabbed. Thought it was his. Yours and Dr. McKay’s packs are with Akhiok’s?”

“You’ve gotta be kidding.” Sheppard strode to the vehicle and grimaced. Damn it to hell! Why’d Ford have to steal some other yahoo’s snowmobile? “We got nothing?” Sheppard asked, irritated.

Chagrinned, Ford responded, “Just what we have on us.”

“Great,” Sheppard ground out again. He started moving, and the snow collapsing beneath his step. He went halfway up to his calf as his foot plunged through the top layer. “Crap,” he muttered, taking another step and finding the same result. “Let me guess, whoever owned this thing didn’t keep any snowshoes with it, did he?”

“No sir,” Ford responded, coming alongside. “I figure we have to make do. He can’t be far.”

“Fall in behind me,” Sheppard directed. “I’ll blaze the trail.” And they worked their way through the white to the red.

 

CHAPTER 10: WILE E COYOTE

They plunged onward. The hillside they descended became radically steeper as they trudged along. John kept his eyes forward, looking for that color in the cold. Behind him, Ford tried to reach Teyla again, getting nothing. He tried McKay as well for good measure – no result.

They followed the hillside. In the open space, the huge tapas shuffled about. The major kept his gaze on them, glad that there were some distance away.

It was hard work, forcing his way through the snow, but Sheppard wasn’t slowing. His knee twinged, telling him that he should give up the lead to Ford, but he had no plan on slowing just yet. Beckett would tell him a thing or two when they got back.

The hillside flanking them grew ever steeper as they moved alongside. It was early in the winter, Sheppard remembered. There was hardly any snowpack, but even so, he didn’t want to see any of this coming down on them. They said little, and when they spoke it was in hushed voices.

“He should be just about there,” Ford announced from behind.

Sheppard was glad Ford knew that, because everything looked similar here in this damn white world. Where are you, McKay? Where the hell are you?

Then, as if in answer, he spotted it. Red… Red against the white, and he increased his speed, his knee giving him hell. Ford stayed right behind him. The snow squeaked as they plowed through it.

“McKay,” he called softly, “McKay!” High-stepping through the drifts, he could see the red jacket clearer now, bright as day against the white. “Hang on, Rodney.” There, yes, obviously a man lying in the snow.

The man had been driven in deeply. God, they would have never found him if not for that red. It took several long moments to cross the distance, and when he did, John fell on his knees, cringing as he bent the right one too far. “Rodney,” he said softly, “Rodney!”

The physicist was on his side, half curled in the snow, partially covered in it. He’d impacted into the snow – reminding Sheppard a little too much of Wile E Coyote in a Roadrunner cartoon. He hadn’t reached the ground though – there was snow still under him.

Only Rodney's right red arm was easily seen. He’d lost his gloves. The blue fleece hat with the ridiculous tie-on strap had remained on – exactly as it should have. The goggles had fallen half-off, only covering his left eye – the other lens was down around his cheek.

“Rodney,” Sheppard hissed, sweeping away the snow. “Come on, McKay.” He pulled off one of his gloves, using his teeth, and grasped the man’s wrist to feel for a pulse.

The scientist didn’t move. In this still, cold world, McKay was still and cold as death. Sheppard grimaced, unable to feel anything in the frigid wrist. Carefully, he rested Rodney’s cold hand on his own leg, and moved to McKay’s neck, stealing his hand under the scarf that had somehow remained tucked within his jacket’s collar. With a sigh, he found some warmth, and a steady beat.

Watching, John could see the curl of vapor that came with each breath through Rodney’s parted lips – slow shallow breaths. Thank you.

“Major?” Ford asked expectantly.

“He’s alive,” Sheppard responded. He removed his hand, careful to pull the scarf tight again, to seal in any remaining heat. He remembered how he’d laughed at the doctor’s get up. Didn’t seem so foolish now. The puffy red jacket seemed to have survived the fall marvelously, maybe even cushioned him. 

He worked at removing some of the snow from the man, and then softly patted Rodney’s exposed cheek. “McKay? McKay, wake up!” God he was cold.

There was no response to his urging. They had no emergency blankets, no food, no hand-warmers, nothing – and Rodney was lying with his face in the snow. Damn it. With a grimace, he unzipped his hood, and pulled it from his jacket collar. “Help me with his head,” Sheppard told his 2IC. “Lift him really carefully, just enough so I can get this under it.”

Ford nodded, leaning in closely and carefully working his hands under the doctor’s head, his gloved fingers easily working through the snow. Patiently, slowly, Sheppard moved the hood until Rodney could keep his cold face out of the snow, and Ford gently settled him on top of the white material. John considered giving up his coat, too, but wondered if it would help.

He blew out a breath, realizing that he would need his wits about him – and allowing himself to freeze wouldn’t help Rodney at all. He glanced to Aiden. Ford looked toward the ledge above them – about seven feet up. Sheppard squinted at it, figuring that Rodney must have sailed right over it, to plunge into the cushion of snow. Sheppard brushed again at Rodney’s clothing, trying to get off the caked on snow. 

Something creaked. Something groaned. The major and the lieutenant looked upward, watching the snow that dribbled down over the ledge. Neither spoke for a moment.

“Think it’ll come down?” Ford finally whispered, his eyes fastened on what hung above them, like misbalanced plates at the edge of a table.

“McKay didn’t bring it down with him,” Sheppard responded. “I think it’s planning to stay.”

“Doesn’t sound like it wants to stay,” Ford uttered, listening to the creaking.

“I know I’ll be a hell of a lot happier if we were out from under it.”

“Do we move him?” Ford asked. “He may have… broken something.”

Sheppard’s hand still rested against Rodney’s cheek. McKay felt so cold. Ice had formed in his hair and eyelashes. He brushed at the snow that fringed his hair. “We got to get him out of the snow.”

Ford went on, “We should get a backboard, and something to keep his neck still.”

John drew back his hand. He clenched it, feeling the cold biting into him. His ears were getting numb too – and his nose. He blew on his fingers, then tugged on McKay’s cap, carefully pulling it to cover more of his face. “Rodney,” he repeated, “McKay!”

The icy lashes moved slightly.

Ford glanced back the way they’d come. “I could break up the snow-skid a bit. Find something we could put him on. It’ll take a while to get back and forth though and I don’t…”

Impatient, John rapped on Rodney’s face with the back of his hand. “McKay, wake up! Now!” he barked.

Suddenly, McKay’s eyes shot open, and one arm flailed. “No!” he cried, trying to shove back the intruder. “No… no…!”

“Rodney, Rodney!” Sheppard captured the arm easily.

“No… get back… get back…” McKay called, his voice quiet and his actions almost resigned. One arm feebly fought against Sheppard, the other, trapped beneath him, tried to lever himself upright. He stopped almost instantly with a sharp intake of breath. His eyes squeezed shut in pain.

“Stop! Stop moving! Knock it off!” Sheppard demanded, forcing him back down. “It’s me! It’s Sheppard! It’s John!”

“Get them off me!” McKay cried.

Aiden was at Rodney’s back, doing what he could to keep the doctor still. “Come on, Doc. It’s me and the major. It’s okay.”

“They’re gone! Rodney, they’re gone!” Sheppard said distinctly. “Those damn dogs are gone!”

One vivid blue eye sought him out and blinked, looking terribly lost. “Oh,” he said, and settled back into the hood with a miserable sigh. “Oh.” The eye closed and for a moment, Sheppard and Ford stared at each other.

It became evident that Rodney had drifted off. Sheppard let out a slow breath, and tried again. “Come on, Rodney, wake up. Nobody’s here but me and Ford.”

“Doc?” Aiden tried, laying a hand on McKay’s exposed shoulder. “Come on. Try again.”

But McKay didn’t move. Shaking his head, Sheppard told him, “I’m not screwing around! Wake up, I need you to stay awake!”

“You…need,” McKay said softly, his one visible eye cracking open. “Why?” Rodney’s gaze faltered until he was staring into the snow that surrounded him. 

Rodney’s gaze tracked upward again. He blinked tiredly. Softly, he said, “I… my eye… I can’t see out of … one’s all dark… I…can’t…see …”

“That’s ‘cause your goggles are half-cocked. You got the lens over only one of your eyes,” Sheppard explained trying to sound amused, hoping to God that’s all it was.

With a half-hearted scowl, McKay tried to move his arm. It came stiffly, and was quickly captured by Sheppard.

“Don’t move,” Sheppard told him. Carefully, he tugged at the goggles, bringing them down until they were under Rodney’s chin. The Canadian sighed with relief as the vision in his occluded eye came clear.

“Better?” Sheppard asked.

McKay didn’t respond. He continued to blink at the snow in front of his nose. Dutifully, Sheppard worked to dig some of it out of the way. “This has got to be a bit better,” Sheppard went on.

“I want… I want…to get up,” McKay started. “I’m cold.”

“I know,” Sheppard replied. “But you’re not going to be moving for a bit.”

“I’m so cold.”

Ford exchanged a worried look with his CO – damn, McKay wasn’t sounding good – not sounding like himself at all!

“First things first, McKay,” Sheppard tried. “I need you to move your feet. Can you try? I mean, without moving around too much?”

“Move them without moving?” McKay grumbled, looking at Sheppard as if he was insane.

“Try to move your toes,” Ford supplied helpfully.

“I…” McKay startled at Ford’s voice, trying to turn to see who was behind him.

“It’s just me, doc,” Ford assured. “It’s Aiden.”

McKay grumbled, “Of course, I know that.”

“McKay,” Sheppard went on. “Try to move your toes.”

Looking into the snow that surrounded him, Rodney remained still. With a grimace, he snapped, “I have boots on. Tight snow boots. My toes are frozen. I couldn’t move my toes if I tried. Can I get up now? Can we get someplace warm?”

The irritated demeanor made Sheppard feel a hell of a lot better, but Rodney’s lack of movement wasn’t encouraging.

“Okay, then. Since you can’t handle that simple job, you’re going to have to keep still for a bit, McKay,” Sheppard told him. He took a surreptitious glance at the hanging snow over their head. “We’ll get something to carry you out on and…”

“Yes, well, yes.” McKay’s arm fished around, and his hand finally grasped onto the sleeve of Sheppard’s white jacket. “Can you… hurry it up?”

Ford cut in, “I’ll go back to the skid and find something.” He stood quickly, observing as the major leaned protectively over the man in the snow. “I’ll hurry.”

“Yes, do,” McKay responded. He tried to turn his head, but stopped immediately with a wince.

“Don’t move!” Sheppard chided, poking a finger against the doctor’s head. “I mean it! Just wait a couple minutes and Ford will be back.”

McKay huffed out a breath. “I don’t feel so good.” The one hand continued to clasp at Sheppard’s sleeve, twisting into the white material. “Don’t know if I can…”

“You’ll manage,” Sheppard assured, and then looked up at Ford. “Go!” he ordered, and Ford took off through the snow, loping through the trail that they’d blazed earlier. “Hurry,” he whispered.

 

CHAPTER 11: BEES

McKay’s eyes darted about, as John shoveled more snow away from his head, using his one gloved hand. The other hand, he made into a fist. Already, his exposed fingers hurt. His head felt as if it was starting to freeze up.

“I’m cold,” McKay said again, pathetically.

“Aren’t we all?” Sheppard responded. He grabbed his free glove and worked it onto McKay’s hand, then took off his other one and had to unclasp McKay’s hand from his sleeve to get the glove situated. “That any better?” he asked.

McKay said nothing, flexing his hands inside the gloves. He looked up to Sheppard, trepidation filling his glance. “Where’s your hood?”

“Gave it up.”

“Oh… oh…” McKay said nothing, staring at his gloved hands, then, with a trouble look, he told Sheppard. “I tried to move my toes.”

“I know. Tight boots. Cold toes.”

“I tried…I couldn’t. I can’t. I can’t move my legs at all. I can’t feel them,” McKay got out, talking in a rush. “Maybe they’re just cold, huh? That would explain it. So numb I can’t sense them.”

“Probably just the cold. Ford will be back in a minute,” Sheppard told him, keeping his voice even, as he rubbed his hands together, ducking his head into his collar.

McKay scowled and rocked his head forward, resting his face against the material of the hood. “I don’t want to be here.”

“Me neither.”

“Get me out.”

“You have to be patient,” Sheppard told him, feeling his nerves on edge. He stood, staggering a minute, to get a better view of Ford. The kid was running, trying to make good time in the snow, but he was still a long way from the skid. He was disappearing into the white – his jacket indistinguishable from the snow. Above them, a threat of avalanche still seemed too possible. Damn it, Sheppard thought, hating all the snow adventure movies he’d seen. 

“Just stay awake for a while, okay? Awake and still. He’ll be right back,” Sheppard insisted, his eyes on Ford, willing him to hurry. “Behave yourself until he gets here.”

“I know…” McKay started slowly. “I know I shouldn’t have… I couldn’t help it.”

“Shouldn’t have what?” Sheppard responded, watching Ford run.

“The dogs. I don’t know why I reacted… They were coming at me and I …”

“Perfectly reasonable.”

“Irrational. I was… hysterical. I tend to freak out about things.”

“You, freak out?”

“I was swarmed by bees once.”

“That’s reason to freak out.”

“Okay, it was only five bees or so, but I’m allergic. I ran, knocked over a kid while I was trying to get away.”

Sheppard was quiet, his arms folded over his legs. “Figure you had reason,” he finally commented.

“A kid, just knocked him down. I was scared to death.”

“When did this happen.”

“I was in school. I’d been stung a year before. Ended up in the hospital.”

“How old were you?”

“When I freaked out and knocked over the kid? I don’t know. Ten.” McKay looked up at him beseechingly. “The kid was younger though -- six or so.”

“Ended up in the hospital the first time? I’d freak out, too,” Sheppard said convincingly. “Hell, as soon as I figured out that those were those damn devil dogs, I was pretty damn worked up about it, too.”

He heaved a breath. “Stupid of me… stupid.”

“Yeah, you and stupid. Can’t really see those words going together.”

McKay let out a shuddering breath, shivering in the snow.

“Ford will be right back,” Sheppard assured. He couldn’t see the lieutenant anymore. “Right back.” He looked down. “McKay?” he let out a breath when Rodney failed to answer him. With a sigh, he carefully knelt down in the snow again, not hiding his groan of pain as he moved his knee. His companion’s eyes were shut, and he was terribly still.

“Rodney,” Sheppard called softly. “Rodney, I need you to wake up. Rodney, come on.” Again, he gently slapped the chilled face. Getting no reaction, he frowned, grasping the face at both sides and squishing in the cheeks – making fish lips. “Come on!” he growled. “Wake up.” And nothing. Damn.

White vapor still came from those lips – not dead – not yet.

“Rodney,” Sheppard sighed, as he worked at the hood, getting it wrapped around his head. “Don’t leave me here.” He pulled it tight, getting the bottom of it tucked under McKay’s scarf.

That done, he felt along Rodney’s arms. The puffy down jacket seemed to be keeping his heat in. That was one good thing! He continued his work, looking for trouble along McKay’s unmoving legs. He couldn’t find a break. With an exhale of steam, he sat back in the snow and said, “Just don’t leave me here, okay?”

And a soft snow started falling again.

 

CHAPTER 12: MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH

“You should sit,” Soldotna encouraged. Kenai moved alongside her sister-in-law, trying to help her calm down their guest. “There will be some time before the men return. It is our time to relax.”

Kenai grinned, showing her straight, white teeth. “It is our only time of quiet, when the men are at their hunt. All winter long, we must be with them within these walls. It’s nice to be without them for a while. Let us enjoy our quiet.”

Teyla looked between Soldotna and Kenai, a grimace of annoyance crossing her. “You would prefer to remain quiet at your home instead of participating in the hunt?”

“Yes,” Soldotna responded. “We are only women, after all.”

Kenai nodded. “Even our men find the hunt difficult. It’s not for the faint of heart.”

With a disgusted snort, Teyla turned from them. She didn’t like these people. She’d never understood cultures that treated their women like lesser creatures, but the Ekukians truly annoyed her. The Wraith left them alone for the most part, because the Ekukians spent most of their lives in their warm little holes, in their warm little worlds, while all around them the world froze. Maybe the Wraith were disgusted with them, too? They liked spirited prey – maybe the Ekukians tasted flavorless to them.

Teyla paced about, having lost her chill. The community, she decided, was too close, too warm, and she needed to get away from it.

“I need some air,” Teyla said curtly and made her way to the door. Kenai and Soldotna came with her and frittered around, trying to dissuade her. When they realized that they couldn’t change her mind, they helped with her coat and winter-wear, ensuring that she was well dressed. By time Teyla was suited up, she was nearly hyperventilating with the need to be free of them.

“Thank you,” she curtly declared, and pressed back the first curtain. “I shall return shortly.” And she moved on. She stood for a moment in the foyer, happy even to be this far from them. Then, she drew in a breath and pushed past the second curtain, into the biting air. It brought her up short as it stung her – she’d forgotten how cold it had been – or perhaps she’d told herself that it wasn’t as cold as she recalled from the day before.

She couldn’t let the mere chill stop her. In fact, it was almost agreeable after being closed in for so long.

She moved about to keep herself warm, following a path that had been packed into the snow, glad to be doing something physical. Better, much better. She agilely moved over the white, appreciating the sensation of movement. Maybe this world wasn’t so bad, she decided. A winter wonderland could be inviting in the right circumstances.

She passed another doorway and cocked her head, wondering what was beyond that series of curtains. Another community? A storage area? Perhaps it was where they kept their damaged snow-skids? Maybe one might be usable. She had stepped toward the curtained doorway, but stopped when she heard a noise.

It was a strange sound. It didn’t strike her as something to be wary of. She gauged the situation, but let her curiosity win out and continued forward. The noise was soft – a grunting, muffled. She pressed her hand to the curtain and said softly, “I do not mean to disturb you. I am Teyla. Would it be agreeable if I enter?” And the noise stopped. Interesting.

“I will enter,” she declared. She pressed back the first curtain and was assaulted by a scent – different from the smell of the living quarters – quite different. This smell had an animal quality to it. She wrinkled her nose, and cautiously stepped forward. “I mean you no harm,” she said, her voice calm and light. Her ears remained pricked for any sound of danger. Animals, she knew, could be easily calmed with the right tone – and obviously pets or livestock of some sort were kept within.

She pressed open the second curtain and found a room dimly lit from a window. There were stalls along the walls of the crude room. The smell became more oppressive and she narrowed her eyes. There were quiet squeaking whimpers, and something made a low growl. Her gaze sought the source, and, in the dimness, she found an animal, white and fluffy, curled up on one side. Tiny white, fluffy creatures nursed as the bigger animal looked up at her and growled again, then submissively thumped her tail against the ground. Nervously, it licked its lips.

A dog – she remembered the word the Atlanteans used to describe this sort of animal. She’d seen the depictions in the tapestries, and realized that she’d discovered the Ekukian’s kennel.

The pups looked up at her with curious blue eyes. Some of the braver ones lifted onto their stubby feet and waddled closer to her. The greedier pups continued to suckle.

She knew better than to disturb a nursing mother. “I mean you no harm,” she repeated softly as she backed to the door. “You are a good mother,” she cooed, not turning her back on the creature that continued to growl softly, then thump her tail. “I will leave you now.”

She was almost to the door when the growl changed to a gibbering laugh. She froze, her hand clutching the curtain, as she remembered – as she remembered it all so clearly.

No…

She stared at the creature, seeing those familiar blue eyes. Then, almost without thinking, she backed through the first door, and then the other – and once outside – took off at a run, knowing where she had to go.


	2. Second Half

CHAPTER 13: RATHER BE IN A HOT TUB

The snow fell, pretty little flakes that danced in the cold air. John tucked himself as close as he could to Rodney without moving the man. “Cold as hell,” he muttered, his hands deep in his pockets. He kept his gaze on Rodney, afraid of his stillness. “We’ll get you out of here,” he promised. “Just hang on. You’ll be fine.”

McKay had damn well better be fine, Sheppard thought. He hated the idea of keeping Rodney lying in the snow. All he wanted to do was get him out of that hollow and get him back to the Ekukians’ caves and out of the cold – or better yet, back to Atlantis.

The breeze kicked up and Sheppard squinted against it. He missed his hood. With his back to the open field, he could provide a windbreak and he did his best to shield Rodney from the blast. The wind died down after a moment and John sighed, keeping his gaze on McKay -- still no movement from him. 

The snow continued to fall – slowly, beautifully. It was downright peaceful.

“Rodney, this is one crappy place to end up,” Sheppard muttered. “How’re you doin’?” Pulling his hands from his pockets, he felt the immediate bite of the cold. He worked one hand under Rodney’s scarf again, glad to find he was still some warmth under that coat. His cold hands couldn’t tell if there was anything too hot or too cold though. He moved his hand deeper into the jacket and winced when he heard a sharp intake of breath.

“What’re you doin?” McKay asked quickly. “God, you’re like ice! Why are you touching me like that?”

Sheppard smiled, withdrawing the hand. “Just checking,” he explained.

“Trying to give me a heart attack!” McKay spat back. “I hope that isn’t your idea of fun and high-jinx!” He laboriously moved his free arm about, to tug at his collar, sealing it. “Not a fair way to treat a sick man.” His voice was quiet, as if he couldn’t put a lot of force behind it. “Can’t fight back.”

“Figure I had to do something to wake you up,” Sheppard responded quietly.

“It wasn’t nice,” McKay returned.

“Wasn’t meant to be,” Sheppard told him. He settled himself on his butt in the snow, letting his legs stretch out. “Ahhhh,” he let out, glad to have the weight off his hurt knee. When McKay started to stir, probably wanting to get comfortable, too, Sheppard laid a hand on him and said softly, “Don’t move.”

“Not fair.” Letting out an irritated sigh, McKay added, “This is unbearable.”

“Yeah, I bet.”

“Where’s Ford?”

“He went to strip some crap off the snowmobile. Figure we can make some sort of sled for you.”

“He went by himself? What if those hyena-dog things are running around?” Rodney’s eyes darted about nervously. “You shouldn’t have let him go alone.”

Sheppard paused, blew on his hands, and shoved them into his pockets again. He kept his gaze on McKay, as the scientist worriedly tried to find Ford. “He’ll be fine.”

“What were you thinking?” Rodney added. “Shouldn’t have gone alone.”

“Haven’t seen any devil dogs down here,” Sheppard told the worried man.

McKay let out a panting breath. “I can’t see him.”

“He’s out of sight right now.”

“So, how can you tell that he’s okay?”

“I figure Ford can take care of himself.”

Groaning, McKay added, “But, they attack so quickly, and I can’t see anything from this angle.”

“I can,” Sheppard told him. “I’ll keep an eye open.”

“You’d better.”

“I will. Nothin’s getting close to us.”

“What about Ford?”

John sighed and glanced in the direction that the lieutenant had disappeared. “I’ll watch out for him, too.”

And they sat in silence for a moment. Snow fell lightly around them, making a muffled sound. Funny, John hadn’t realized that falling snow could make a sound. He listened to it for a time – the soft zffft – zffft of feather-light flakes impacting into the white world. Disconnectedly, he watched the slow dance.

Turning his attention back to McKay, Sheppard could see just enough of his face, to see that he was failing again, starting to sleep. “Stay awake, McKay,” he ordered, pulling a hand from his pocket to again brush off the accumulation of snow from his companion. “I don’t want to haul your ass around without you helping out.”

“M’awake,” McKay countered. He blinked wearily. “You’d think I was miserable enough to be unable to sleep.” He groaned. “Having trouble keeping my eyes open.” He moved, trying to pull himself into a ball – only managing to hunch his shoulders.

Laying a hand on the scientist shoulder, Sheppard sternly repeated, “Don’t move.”

Frowning, McKay returned, “If I’m just going to freeze to death, what difference does it make?”

“You’re not going to freeze to death,” Sheppard tried to assure. “You got your super jacket. It’s keeping you nice and toasty.”

“But my legs…”

“That’s why you have to keep still. Can’t have you moving.” John continued brushing off the snow, careful to remove what he could from Rodney’s legs. They had all worn the insolated snow trousers – Sheppard just hoped it would be enough. If Rodney had no feeling in his legs, was he getting any circulation? God, this sucked. He continued to brush at the snow, as McKay watched the movements with a troubled expression.

John settled, wishing he had his hood. Distractedly, he ran his fingers through his hair, sending down a shower of white.

McKay looked up at him, perplexed when he saw the state of John’s coiffure. He blinked for a moment, his eyes searching as if he were trying to find his chain of thought. “What will I do?” he finally asked softly.

“You’re gonna keep still.”

“No… no… What will I do if… if…I can’t ever move again?”

Sheppard blew out a breath, watching it form into clouds. “Don’t worry about that right now, McKay.”

“Well, I am going to worry because it’s bothering me!” McKay snapped back. “What will happen to me if… if I’ve broken my back?”

“You’ll manage.”

“They’ll send me back, won’t they?”

“Well, you see, you have the advantage in that situation because we have no way of sending you to Earth, and…”

“But they will, won’t they? When we find a ZPM, they will send me back. You would if you could, wouldn’t you?”

“You’re not letting me finish.”

“Because I’ll be pretty much useless to you, won’t I?” His voice was soft, yet bitter. “I couldn’t be on the team.” His voice caught. “I couldn’t go off world. There’s so much I’d miss out on.” He drew in a quick breath. “I hardly believe that all these worlds are wheelchair accessible,” he snipped

Rodney kept speaking, not allowing Sheppard a moment to edge his way in. “And, the city – so much of it needs to be explored, yet how much would I be able to see?” He raised his hand, gesturing. “I have to be able to touch it, to get right in there to truly understand. How can I trust mere reports?” His words came faster. “Other people’s reports… what if they miss something… something that I would have seen? Much of the city still can’t be easily reached. It’ll take months to clear the damage from the storm.” One hand reached out, catching John’s sleeve again. “What will I do if I can’t get around in the city?”

“We’ll take care of it,” Sheppard responded, doing nothing to remove the hand. “Don’t do this, Rodney. We don’t know…”

Rodney continued, his voice growing more intense. “I’ll be stuck doing lab work. My life. I’ve spent my whole life in labs, behind computers… I’ll have to go back to that. It’s not as if I’m not used to that sort of thing. But, I liked fieldwork, you know. I really enjoyed it. Scary sometimes, I mean, it really wasn’t my element, but I liked getting out there.”

“Would you just listen to me? Rodney, it’s not going to happen like that.”

“That planet with the… devil dogs.” His voice became softer. “Okay, I didn’t care for this at all. Don’t care for this either.” He laughed, a short abrupt sound. “So stupid. It was such a stupid, pointless accident to leave me crippled.”

“McKay, you need to knock it off. We’ll get Beckett to look at you and then we start thinking about that crap. I’m sure he’ll be able to take care of things. Think about it…”

“Think -- that’s all I do. That’s all I’ll be able to do from now on,” McKay commented, his voice a whisper. He narrowed his eyes for a moment, then seemed to come to a conclusion. “You know, you wouldn’t send me back – not even if you could. Atlantis can’t manage without me. But I’d certainly be less useful. They’d probably give me Grodin’s position. You could have him on your team.” The hand still gripped John’s sleeve, gloved fingers twisting the fabric.

“Rodney…”

“You’d like him. He’d fit right in, and he’s pretty easy to get along with. A good man – the best. Throws a mean punch, but …”

“Rodney!” Sheppard growled between his teeth. “Would you knock it off?”

“The truth hurts,” Rodney returned, keeping one gloved hand clenched at John’s sleeve as he shivered. He closed his eyes, squeezing them tight.

“Damn it, McKay,” Sheppard returned, feeling tired as hell. “You’re putting the cart before the horse. Jumping to conclusions. I know that’s what you’re good at, making connections in that massive brain of yours, but you’re going from Point A to Point Z a little too quickly.”

McKay blew out a breath.

“What I’m thinking is, you just hit your back pretty hard,” Sheppard continued in a low voice. “You got yourself good and bruised. Either that or the cold has gotten to you. Soon as we get back to Atlantis, Beckett will get you warmed up and you’ll be good as new.”

Eyes opened and sought him. “You think?”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking.”

“Because I bruise easily.”

“See, just a bruise. Maybe we can even find a Jacuzzi somewhere. You could probably use a good soak.”

“Really? You think there might one somewhere? I do my best thinking in a tub.”

“Atlantis is huge, and the Ancients seemed to like bein’ comfortable. I don’t see why they wouldn’t have hot tubs tucked away somewhere.”

McKay closed his eyes and for a moment looked comfortable. He sighed. “That’d be nice.” He glanced up at Sheppard and asked, “You ever go hot tubbing in the snow?”

“Sure,” Sheppard replied. “It’s a kick.”

“Never have done that,” McKay sighed. “Just add it to the list of all the things I’ve never done – never will do.”

“Rodney…”

“It’s just that… it’s just that I’m a little bit… scared.”

“Don’t be.”

“But what …”

“Shhh,” Sheppard tried to say, but was cut off by a similar sound – a great huffing breath – a snort. He felt his heart seize up for a moment as he raised his head slowly -- finding himself staring at a great shaggy head. “Oh… crap…” he whispered.

“What? What?” McKay frantically responded.

“Shhh,” Sheppard said again. “Don’t move.”

“Well, that’s what I’ve been trying…”

“Don’t move… don’t make a sound!" The words were urgent and low, as Sheppard stared back into the big black eyes of a tapa looming over them – so close, the breath from its rubbery snout warmed his face. Suddenly, the cold wasn’t that big a deal.

 

CHAPTER 14: INTERFERENCE

Ford kicked at the snow-skid – trying to free the plating that protected the exposed side. He’d managed to tip forward the seat. Apparently, it had been designed to perform this operation to expose a storage area beneath – but he hadn’t managed to remove it from the vehicle.

Frustrated, Ford worked at the side panel. It was rather flimsy. Maybe they could slide McKay onto it, and pull him across the snow until they found something that’d work better as a stretcher. It wouldn’t be comfortable, but it’d keep Dr. McKay’s back relatively still.

He’d hoped that the seat would’ve served that function, but it was too contoured. The seatbacks that had made the ride more comfortable would make the unit impossible to use as a bed. Maybe he could rip the cover and padding off to insulate him a bit.

He had found no tools – nothing that could have made the deconstruction easier. And all the while, he knew he had to hurry. This was no time for puttering about.

“Come on,” he grumbled, trying to vibrate one side of the housing off the machine. It wasn’t budging. It was frustrating as all heck, and he was making no headway. He chanced a glance toward where Sheppard was watching over McKay – not expecting to see them from his position – but what he DID see took his breath away.

The tapas, which had been so distant when they first arrived, had closed in. “No…” Aiden whispered. “No…” He stepped away from the wrecked snowmobile, and unclipped his P90. “Oh God, no…”

The biggest of them seemed to be right over the spot where he’d left McKay and Sheppard. A few others lumbered nearby. Feeling panic rising, Ford thumbed on his radio, “Major!” he called.

He received an earful of static in return, and the merest hint of a voice.

Ford held one hand to his ear, trying to hear through the interference, while the other hand kept the weapon ready. “Major, what do you want me to do?” he asked.

Static. Damn it! “Major!” he called again, and then turned when a chuttering sound reached him.

He spun about, trying to find the source of it, and then trod through the snow to get around the trees. What…? Finally clear of the impediments, he smiled. “They’re coming! Akhiok and the others!” he called into the radio, on the off chance that the transmission was getting through. He turned off the mic and raised a hand over his head. “Akhiok! Karluk!” he shouted as he waved broadly, trying to get their attention.

Ten snow-skids were plowing through the valley. White dogs ran along with them. Aiden kept waving, watching them come toward him. He smiled broadly, trying to flag them down. The smile dipped as they failed to slow – in fact, their speed increased as they came in view of the tapas.

“Major. We have more problems. The Ekukians aren’t stopping,” Ford said in his radio. “They’re not slowing down!” The big, harpoon shaped guns were mounted on the front of the skids, and Ford sucked in his breath, realizing what they were up to. “They’re on the hunt!” he announced, but still received no response.

Oh God, the major and the doc were going to be trampled in a stampede!

Getting no orders from Sheppard, Aiden surged forward. “Akhiok! Akhiok!” He waved both arms furiously, and suddenly, as the machines were passing, the riders on one of the skids turned. They went on for a moment longer and, if a snowmobile could show emotions, it seemed to turn reluctantly.

Some of the itnas slowed too, gazing at him with their stark blue eyes before they apparently decided that the tapas were more enjoyable prey and they took off again. The skid sped toward him, and Ford strode out to meet the riders. Karluk, in the driver’s seat, immediately asked, “Have you found your friend?”

Meanwhile, Akhiok shouted from his back seat, “Where is Tyonek’s skid?”

Ford didn’t hear the questions. “Major Sheppard and Dr. McKay are out there!” he shouted, pointing toward the big tapa. “I think they’re right under that tapa. You guys gotta pull back!”

Karluk pursed his lips, glancing toward the tapas. The other skids continued to advance.

“Call them back!” Ford demanded frantically.

“Too late,” Karluk responded, sounding genuinely remorseful.

Because the tapas had spotted the approaching skids and had started to move.

 

CHAPTER 15: BONGOS

“What?” McKay asked, trying to look out of his hole. “What’s going on?”

“Shhhh!” Sheppard tried again, twisting to look over his shoulder. The creature was huge, looming over him, with a head as big as a kiddy-pool and a big rubbery nose that couldn’t really be called a trunk. Its eyes, looking too small for its massive head, blinked at him. Its legs were like tree trunks and its long stringy hair hung almost to the ground. It looked like a weird mix of elephant and bison, but bigger than both put together. The damn thing was as big as a house.

At that moment, Sheppard was struck by the realization that the creature didn’t stink. Funny, he would have believed something as big and hairy as that would reek to high heaven. But, the breath that steamed him could have been a hell of a lot worse. The warmth it gave off wasn’t half bad.

It shifted, lifting one leg and then settling it down with a muffled thump. It blinked and let out another snort.

“Oh God…” McKay groaned, finally angling his head so he could see around Sheppard. He winced, and then stated bluntly, “I thought you were supposed to be watching out!”

“I was trying, but you kept distracting me,” Sheppard said through his teeth, feeling miserable as hell for letting this happen. What the hell was the matter with him! He looked in disbelief as several more of the creatures wandered near them. They moved almost silently, their big feet making little more than a quiet ‘whump’ against the snow. 

“Something that big got this close to us?” McKay went on in a low voice.

“Kinda snuck up on me.”

“How does something that enormous sneak?”

“They tip toe,” Sheppard answered quietly, his gaze on the creature as his hand felt for his P90. The tapa’s eyes were big and black, looking as shiny as freshly polished shoes. Something dripped from its nose, freezing in the hair around its nostrils.

“What do we do?” McKay whispered beseechingly.

“Like I’ve been sayin’,” Sheppard hissed. “We keep still and we keep quiet. He’s gonna think we’re not worth his time and they’re all going to move off.”

“They? All? There’s more than one?” Panic tinged the hushed response.

“Keep quiet. Keep still,” Sheppard reiterated, watching the thing as it turned its huge head to look at him with one eye. It blew more warm air on him, looking docile and dumb. “Just checking us out,” John said softly. His radio crackled. Ford’s voice was unintelligible. “See, he doesn’t mean us any harm. Just wants to see…”

His voice trailed off as the demeanor of the creature suddenly changed. Its lethargic movements were replaced as its head jerked to one side, and it sidestepped, turning quickly. It was like being on a street corner when a bus came around too quickly.

Protectively, Sheppard threw himself over McKay as the thing wheeled, its big feet coming down far too close for comfort.

McKay wheezed as Sheppard’s weight pressed on him. “What? What’s happening?” he demanded to know, frantically trying to see.

There were at least six tapas, and all of them started following the lead of the first – turning about and forming into a loose circle. 

John picked up a sound – the roar of approaching snow-skids. He lifted his head, at first marveling that the Ekukians were coming to their rescue. The Ekukians riding in to save them! But reality struck him as he noted the guns mounted on the skids – and he realized the reason they were storming in.

“Bastards!” he growled between gritted teeth, as a clump struck his shoulder. The snow creaked and groaned above that ledge. It was as if the whole world was sighing.

He could hear the baying of the itnas, and beneath him McKay cringed, looking up with that horrified expression. “Those dogs are coming?” he whispered harshly.

God, the damn devil dogs were the least of their worries! John returned his attention to the closest of the mammoths. Its attention was on the approaching skids. If the thing were to jerk to one side in escape, they’d be pounded to paste. Quickly, Sheppard debated whether he could chance moving McKay out of the way. Getting up and drawing attention to themselves might be the worst thing to do in this situation. The tapa was already mad – if it were to see them in motion…

The itnas had reached the tapas – and started darting about them, yipping and yowling, leaping and snapping, laughing that horrible hyena cackle. And then, mammoths started crying – trumpeting – blatting – blaring like off-key car horns. Clots of snow came down on Sheppard’s head and back as he crouched over McKay.

“Hey!” Rodney cried when a chuck of icy snow struck him.

The lead tapa stomped its forefeet aggressively as the Ekukians came nearer. The other tapas took up the action of the first – and they beat the ground as if it were a bongo. Between their trumpeting and pounding, the sound was nearly deafening.

Everything shook. Sheppard chanced looking away from the spectacle – up – up at the layer of snow. It vibrated – chunks of snow were showering as the upper level shifted. Above his head – the sound of crumbling, breaking, sliding snow. Oh, God – this wasn’t going to be good. 

It was all coming down.

No time to think – only react – Sheppard shifted his position, pulled McKay into a sitting position. Then, grasping him under his shoulders, Sheppard frantically pulled the physicist backward, toward the hillside. If Rodney made a sound, Sheppard didn’t hear it. He was yanking for all he was worth – the snow beneath his feet giving no traction.

The rumbling roaring of falling snow mixed with the beat and the trumpet of the tapas, and underneath it the chatter of the snow skids and wicked laughter of the itnas. He kicked and drove his feet into the snow, sending up a shower of white, even as white came down on them. Hardly knowing how he managed it, he tugged the physicist, pulling for all he was worth. His aching knee hardly mattered. The noise filled his head, pushing out all other thoughts except, “Get the HELL out of here!”

Suddenly, his back slammed against the rock. He let out an ‘oof’, and yanked McKay closer to him as the whole world came down on them – first white – and then everything went black. 

 

CHAPTER 16: WORDLESS

Ford went into motion, leaping into the last seat on Karluk’s skid and demanding they stop the other Ekukians. Karluk gamely attempted to comply.

Leaning to see around the two men, Ford tried to pinpoint where he’d left Sheppard with McKay. Damn it! If he were right, that big elephant-thing was right above them – almost on top of them.

All six of the creatures were moving, swaying to-and-fro as if trying to gauge the predators that were attacking them. Then, as the closest skids came near, the creatures started bawling – a hoarse blaring sound like a trumpet played too hard when the mute was in its bell – a harsh ‘blat’ that he felt reverberating in his sternum. Then they started pounding their feet.

The weird, white, devil dogs had outrun the skids and were darting around, in and about the huge elephant creatures. The tapas seemed determined to smash the itnas into the snow. He held on as Karluk gunned the engine.

His attention riveted on the enormous tapas, Ford didn’t even see it until it was almost too late. There was a whoosh and then a horrible rumble, and Ford turned in time to see the wall of snow give way. It came down like thunder, like a freight train. He let out a shout, his voice joining the ruckus – the blaring of the tapas, the yowling of the itnas, the high whine of the skids, the rumble of the avalanche.

He was too late. He could only hold onto the handgrips as it came down – all of it – a wall of snow sloughing from the hill, tumbling, falling, pounding into the valley floor, obliterating everything in its path.

The tapas reared up. They leapt and fought against the surging snow like salmon running upriver. The majority of the devil dogs didn’t stand a chance. The white wash of snow clobbered them, turning and tossing them – snout over tail – consuming them.

The skid drivers made wild turns, attempting to outrun it or avoid it. Two of the machines got caught up in the falling mess. One driver managed to get his skid up on top of the flow, only to be bowled over seconds later. The other managed to turn away, but was clipped by the falling balls of snow and sent tumbling.

A couple of the mammoths were nearly knocked down by the force of the avalanche, but managed to keep their footing. They ran – and ran – until they’d outrun the worst of it – and they kept running – bleating and bawling and escaping.

In a few seconds it was over. Ford was left, clinging still to the vibrating snow-skid, his gloved hands clutching the handgrips until he lost feeling in them, wordlessly shouting.

For there were no words to express what he felt.

 

CHAPTER 17: ENTOMBED

He was aware of breathing – harsh, labored breathing. He could see nothing – he could just hear his breath being reflected back at him, and with him – the sound of McKay gasping.

“Rodney,” he called. “Rodney, are you okay?”

Between panting breaths, McKay got out, “What the hell was that? I thought you said…” He wheezed, hardly able to draw air. “…you said… we weren’t going to be… moving! What about… keeping still? I… I…”

“Hang on, Rodney.” Sheppard frantically felt around, trying to figure out what was wrong. It was too dark to see. The frantic gasping continued. “Calm down,” he demanded. “You have to calm down.”

“What the hell happened? Why did you do that?”

“It was either move fast or get crushed in the avalanche.”

“Is that what that was?”

“Yeah, tons of snow falling. Avalanche.”

“I thought maybe… one of those things was trying to trample us. Least we got away from those dogs, huh?”

“Yeah, the damn dogs. I don’t think we have to worry about them anymore.”

“Good… good…”

Sheppard let out a sigh, realizing that McKay seemed to be calming down – that he wasn’t wheezing quite so much anymore. At least, John thought, I haven’t killed him, yet. That crisis temporarily averted, John tried to get a handle on their current situation. They had managed to get under the ledge. It had protected them, but now they were totally entombed. It was dark – but not completely black. Light shown faintly through the layers of snow – pale and blue -- too faint to allow them to see much of anything.

“How do you feel?” Sheppard asked hopefully.

“How do I feel? Frozen! Mauled!” McKay answered testily. “Bruised, maimed, folded, spindled and mutilated.” He paused suddenly, and in the almost darkness, Sheppard listened to Rodney breath again.

“Rodney?” Sheppard tried. No answer. “Rodney?” He jiggled the man.

“Still can’t,” Rodney replied quietly. “I still can’t… my legs. I thought maybe… but…”

In the faint bluish light, Sheppard could see almost nothing – shadows mainly. Their sanctuary was tiny – little bigger than a bathtub. The wall of snow encroached on three sides – their fourth wall was the stone cliff. Above them – several feet up was the ledge that had protected them. They were apparently in a depression – the ground beneath them was almost bare of snow.

“Here, let me … ugh… get out from… ah… okay…” Sheppard tried shifting around. He’d ended up with McKay mostly in his lap, and it was a rather uncomfortable position to say the least. “Can you lean forward? There, just put your arms up here. Can you get your weight on the snow here? Okay, hang on… almost… there. You okay?”

McKay was leaning forward, his head pressed against the snowy wall, saying nothing. Painfully, Sheppard managed to get his leg out from behind McKay, the knee letting him know that it hadn’t liked the recent escapade. Fine, John thought, thanks for letting me know. He hissed in pain as he drew the leg out from its predicament.

“You okay?” Rodney asked quickly.

“Fine… just fine.” Sheppard got out quickly. He pressed one hand against Rodney’s back to ensure he stayed upright. 

“You don’t sound fine…”

“I told you, I’m fine,” Sheppard snapped. “Can you keep yourself like that for a sec?” And he maneuvered himself out from behind the scientist. "You okay?”

“Fine…” Rodney echoed.

“Okay, I’m out,” Sheppard finally declared. “Let’s get you laid back.” He felt down to where McKay’s legs were, so that he could grab hold and get them moved since Rodney couldn’t manipulate them. “Crap,” he muttered.

“What?” McKay responded. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Hang on a minute,” Sheppard demanded, feeling for the P90. He flicked on the light, and the bluish glow of the light beyond the snow disappeared, replaced with blinding white.

Rodney squinted, his upper body pressed against the snow that encapsulated them. His hands gripped at ripples in the snow to keep himself upright. “What?” he asked again, tiredly.

“Crap,” Sheppard repeated as the light revealed what he’d feared. He instantly dropped the weapon and started digging.

Rodney looked down in horror. His body seemed to end just above his knees, the rest of his legs disappeared into the white. He let out a miserable sound.

“It’s okay, Rodney,” Sheppard called. “I’m getting you out! I’ll get you out of this. Hang on. Just keep calm.”

As John’s voice rose in panic, McKay felt a strange composure come over him. “It’s okay,” he said softly. “I can’t feel it.” He watched Sheppard frantic movements, digging through snow around his legs. “It’s not bad.”

“Damn it!” Sheppard cursed as he worked. “Goddamn it!”

“Wait,” Rodney said.

“I’m getting you out!” Sheppard declared hotly, not slowing, trashing at the packed snow in his attempt to get through it, to free the trapped legs.

“Just be reasonable a moment then,” Rodney declared. Keeping himself propped against the snow, he used his teeth to pull off one glove, dropping it on John as he worked at the other. “At least get your gloves on.”

 

CHAPTER 18: BEAR SHIT

“Oh God… oh God…” Ford gasped as Karluk guided the skid away from the rushing snow. Both Karluk and Akhiok were shouting to their compatriots, calling to them.

And it stopped. The snow stopped rumbling and tumbling. The trumpeting and thumping of the tapas faded as they put distance behind them. Snow-skids still puttered. Somehow, about half of the itnas had escaped the devastation, and they limped about, looking chagrinned and confused -- hearty bastards.

“Get closer!” Ford ordered, his voice hoarse. He pointed to the spot where he’d last seen the major and the doc. A ton of snow rested there now. Good God – was there any hope?

“Tyonek and Gakona!” Akhiok said, pointing toward a couple of Ekukians who stumbled about without a skid near the mounded snow. “We have to see to them.”

“They’re movin’!” Ford shot back. “There’s others who can look after them! We’ve got to find the Major and Dr. McKay!”

Karluk seemed to see the wisdom in this statement, and he left Tyonek and Gakona to be picked up by others of their group. He diverted the course of his skid, bringing it back around to where the Atlaneans had once been.

Ford clutched at his radio, trying it in spite of his fears. “Major! Major! Dr. McKay! Can you read me?” Only static was returned. Please, he prayed. Please… And still nothing.

It was just snow, right? Fluffy, puffy snow – soft and light and… nice. But as they closed on the site, Ford saw nothing of the sort. Boulders of snow -- slabs of snow covered the area – looking as heavy and uncompromising as stone. They’re fine. They’ve got to be fine, Ford insisted to himself, even as he felt his hopes fading.

Karluk brought the skid to a stop at the foot of the newly created hill. “Where?” he called over his shoulder. Between them, Akhiok scowled uncertainly.

Ford pointed up. They’d have to get up and over the pile to where he remembered they had been – but honestly he had no idea. All he could remember was that Sheppard and McKay had been relatively near the cliff – but everything looked different now. All points of reference were gone.

A shitty situation all the way around – there was no better way to describe it.

Killing the engine, Karluk nodded. “We should be on foot,” he declared. And they dismounted. Some of the other Ekukians had followed them, pulling their skids alongside. Akhiok descended from the skid to talk to the others. Ford followed Karluk as he climbed up the helter-skelter pile of snowballs.

It reminded the lieutenant vaguely of a winter spent with his cousins, and how they’d spent a day making a fort – shaping snow into walls and passageways. It had been pretty impressive when they were done. They’d labored on it all day.

Then, someone had decided to play ‘king of the hill’ and the fort had been smashed to nothing within a few minutes. With a tight expression, Ford recalled that he was the one who’d started that particular game. He and his older cousins – big fellas – had destroyed everything. He also remembered that his younger cousins were the ones who had done most of the work on the fort.

His uncle had owned a Newfoundland-mix – Chief – a big as a bear. The cheerful dog had loved the snow. Ford remembered how his cousin Lara had sat down in the snow and had pulled the overgrown pup into her lap and had cried over the ruin of that winter wonderland. Chief was a great dog. That dog could do anything.

Glancing back, Ford watched as the remaining devil dogs slinked in among the parked skids. “Karluk!” he called, catching up to the nimble man. “Karluk! Those itnas, do they know how to search for people?”

The Ekukian gave Ford a strange look. “No, they are creatures for hunting animals. I don’t trust them much,” he admitted. He paused to watch one of the itnas as it crept in amongst the skids. Karluk changed his gaze to take in Ford. “You do realize that your friends’ chances are bleak?” he asked softly.

“We’re not going there,” Ford responded, his voice still harsh and a little squeaky from his shouting. “We’re going to do everything we can to find them.”

Karluk nodded. “We will do all we can,” he pledged. He turned when a couple of the skids fired up below them. The snowmobiles peeled off and headed back the way they’d come. “They’re returning for digging supplies,” he explained.

As they reached the top of the pile, Ford took in the extent of the disaster. The entire hillside was free of snow. It had all come down – all on top of his teammates. Oh shit… shit shit shit! How in the hell were they going to find them?

He snapped on his radio again, hoping against hope, “Major Sheppard. Doctor McKay?” static – only static. Frantic, he turned, watching as the two skids headed back toward the compound. Teyla, he thought. Teyla, he had to get a message back to her – so that she’d dial Atlantis – get some real help. She’d make that decision though, wouldn’t she? Once the word reached the compound? Of course – but if she was still sick – if she were asleep – would the Ekukian’s be too stupid to wake her?

Does a bear shit in the woods?

“Call them back!” Ford demanded. “I need to send a message to Teyla.”

With a shrug, Karluk commented. “We have no means of doing so. I could send another skid.”

“Yes, yes… Now!” Ford responded quickly, gazing toward the compound. “She needs to send a message to our home.”

“Who should I send?” Karluk asked him, gesturing to the remaining group.

Ford gazed at the man as if he’d just grown another head. How the hell should I know? Ford thought. Dammit, these people truly had shit for brains. “Listen,” he stated, “I don’t care who the hell you send, just…” his voice trailed off as he spotted something heading toward them – something far above the valley. The glare of the snow made it difficult to differentiate - but as it came closer he nearly dropped to his knees in relief.

A ship. A puddlejumper.

The vision reached them to hover, dipping slightly so that he could see the occupants. Stackhouse and Markham nodded down at him from the cockpit – and between them, Teyla smiled.

 

CHAPTER 19: DAFFODILS AND SUNSHINE

“Okay, okay,” Sheppard stated, pulling himself out of the cave that he’d dug around McKay’s legs. As far as he could tell, nothing further had happened to the senseless extremities. There was something terribly odd about digging around those legs, knocking into them from time to time, and knowing that McKay felt nothing.

“How are you doing?” he asked as he squirmed out.

“Fine…”

“Well, it’s going to get better,” Sheppard promised. “Soon as we get you out of this.” He brushed at his shoulders as he retracted. “I got your legs freed up. We just have to get you …” he paused as he noted McKay’s pained expression.

Rodney had been leaning against that icy wall, bare hands clenching at the nodules of snow, clinging to keep himself upright. He breathed harshly with the effort. Crap!

“Hang on,” Sheppard stated.

“It’s what I’ve been doing for the past ten minutes!” McKay growled through his teeth.

“It hasn’t been that long,” Sheppard shot back, getting one arm across McKay’s back and wrapping the other around his waist. “I’m gonna ease you back a bit, okay? There’s not a whole lot of room, but once we get you sideways and on your back…”

“No… no, I want to sit up,” McKay insisted. “Can’t you just lean me against the wall over there.”

“Beckett would kill me,” Sheppard responded.

“Well, he’s already going to do that anyway because you yanked me in here,” McKay shot back, closing his eyes for a moment after his outburst. He drew in a shuddering breath and continued, “I want to be able to see what’s going on.”

“There’s nothing to see. We’re in a little hole,” Sheppard responded.

“With hardly any air,” McKay added. His eyes darted about. “How much air do you figure we have in here? It's really tight in here. Have I ever mention I have a ... tiny bit of... claustrophobia...”

Trying to divert the conversation, Sheppard responded, “I’m going to get you moved back a bit. Let me do the work, okay?”

“Sure, sure,” McKay responded, his eyes still searching.

Getting started, John pulled the hood away from McKay’s head to get it out of the way. He grimaced, seeing the dark stain across the back of the otherwise blue fleece cap. The inside of the white hood was spotted with red. Damn it… He balled up the hood and shoved it into his pocket. Should he take off the hat, see what he could do for the wound under it? Damn it! He had nothing to form a bandage. The tight fitting cap seemed to be doing the job for now. With a grimace, he decided to leave it alone -- keep an eye on things and ensure the bleeding didn't get worse.

“Ready?” Sheppard asked.

“Yeah, sure.”

Sheppard took a moment to swipe the snow out of the way, getting down to the rock bottom of the depression. Then, he leaned Rodney back and worked to move him as smoothly as possible. As he manipulated McKay’s legs, getting them out of the hole and moving them into a better position, Rodney watched him – saying nothing. Finally, John had him edged back those few inches and turned, his back was against the rocky wall. 

“Better?” John asked, brushing at the snow that coated the physicist’s legs.

Rodney’s gaze followed the movements, his face pale. “I still can’t feel anything,” he said softly. “Guess it won’t matter now. I mean, if the cold doesn’t get us, we’ll run out of oxygen soon enough. Is it getting smaller in here? The walls aren't moving, are they?”

"Nothing's moving, McKay." Sheppard sighed and pulled the balled up hood from his pocket, to use it as a cushion for Rodney’s head. He hoped McKay wasn’t too badly hurt – yeah, he thought, define ‘badly.’

John sat beside the Canadian in the cramped space, hip to hip. “Actually, I’m not so cold now,” he declared as he pulled off his gloves and started to rub at McKay’s legs – first one, then the other.

“What are you doing?” McKay asked, watching the movements.

Sheppard continued the work, vigorously rubbing. “Just trying to make sure you still have blood moving,” he said lightly as he faced the man.

“Oh,” McKay responded, watching with eyes that seemed unusually blue.

“Figure this is what it’s like in an igloo, huh? Always thought Eskimos were freezing their butts off inside those things, but it’s warming up a little.”

“Warm… yeah… warm,” McKay muttered, finally taking his gaze off of Sheppard’s work to blow on his hands. He moved his fingers with a doleful expression. Finally, he shoved his hands under his armpits. “How much air do you think we have?”

“Plenty,” Sheppard responded.

"Nothing's moving, is it?" McKay asked uncomfortably as he eyed the closed in space. "I mean the walls... they seem to be..."

"It's all in your banged up head." Sitting back, John hoped he’d managed to accomplish something for Rodney. He knew that skin-to-skin contact was the best way to heat up someone suffering from hypothermia, but he hoped it didn’t come to that. The red parka really did seem to be doing its job and he didn’t want to try removing it just yet. “You want these back?” he asked, holding up the gloves.

McKay shook his head, wincing again at the movement.

“Keep still,” Sheppard said softly. He pulled his jacket off next, and wrapped it around both Rodney’s legs and his own. He tried not to gasp as the cold caught him. There was no breeze here, and it was decidedly less frigid than ‘outdoors’, but it was hardly warm.

McKay watched his movements with a disconnected expression. “What good will that do?” he asked softly. “I’m not feeling anything and you’re going to freeze.”

“Ah, I’m not cold,” Sheppard responded. “I don’t get cold. I can be in a room full of people who are bitching about how cold they are, and I’ll be toasty warm,” he stated, trying not to let his teeth chatter. “I’m feeling better already. And, hell, I’m just covering my own ass,” he said, cocking his head. “Well, not literally.” He worked more of the snow out from under them, hoping it would help their situation. “Beckett will have one less reason to skin me alive if I at least try to keep you warm.”

Keeping his gaze on his covered legs, Rodney rested, looking lost.

“They’re going to get us out,” Sheppard said, grabbing his radio and fiddling with it. “Ford is going to get these morons in gear. Teyla’s going to get help from Atlantis.”

“When?” McKay responded, shuddering. “Because we’re about an hour from the Gate. It’ll take that long for someone to get back to her to tell her what happened. And then she needs to dial Atlantis. And someone’s going to have to approve a rescue mission. We probably have to wait at least an hour, and a half and by that time, we’ll certainly suffocate, or freeze, or I’ll just have seizure and die from my injuries.”

“You’re just full of daffodils and sunshine, aren’t you?’ Sheppard stated tersely.

“Humph,” McKay responded, tightened his arms over his chest and nestling his head into the cushion.

Sheppard tried the radio, not receiving a response. He groaned as he listened to static.

“It won’t work,” McKay stated, looking at him through hooded eyes. “The geology has remarkable magnetic properties. We won’t be able to contact anyone, especially with us so close to…” and he withdrew one hand from his armpit to gesture to the rock wall.

“So, what do we do?” Sheppard asked, holding out his radio. “I mean, you’re not going to let that stop us.”

McKay glared at him a moment, then dropped his glance to the radio.

“Come on, Answer Man,” Sheppard encouraged. “You love a challenge.”

McKay stared at the device for a long moment, then his face seemed to grow longer, his expression changing, becoming softer as his mind worked.

Sheppard smiled, loving that expression.

Suddenly, McKay reached out one arm, snatching Sheppard’s radio “I need my radio, too. I think it fell inside my coat. And the scanner. It’s in my pocket, can you grab it for me? And my tools. They’re in there, too.” He smiled arrogantly as he held the radio. “Just give me a minute,” he declared.

Sheppard sat back, grinning.

 

CHAPTER 20: NOTHING and SOMETHING

“How did you know?” Ford called to the jumper as it landed, the rear hatch opening.

Teyla came down the hatchway, adjusting her hood against the bitter blast. “What was I supposed to know?”

“The avalanche!” Ford returned, gesturing toward the hill of snow. “The Major and Doctor McKay are in there somewhere!”

Teyla regarded the scene with a furrowed brow. “Avalanche,” she repeated the word. “I am unfamiliar with the term.”

“You didn’t know about all this snow coming down?”

Teyla, unaware of what the area looked like previously, could only shake her head.

“So, how did you know to come?” Ford asked, coming to a halt before her.

“I saw the creatures,” she said, turning an unhappy eye on the slinking itnas. “And realized that we had best remove Dr. McKay from the situation. He would be… most uncomfortable in their presence.” She fixed Aiden with a guilty look and added, “I had been unable to help him when he encountered the creatures previously and…” she paused, searching Ford for reproach. “I didn’t want to fail him again.”

Ford nodded, accepting the response.

“When he realized that these were the same type of creatures,” Teyla went on. “He would want to leave. I wanted to provide him the ability to do so.”

“I’m sure glad you did,” Ford declared as he strode into the back of the jumper, looking for anything that could help them. “Tried to reach you on radio as you landed,” he stated.

Teyla nodded. “The communication system does not work in this area.”

Ford understood – his own radio still crackled softly in his ear.

“Lieutenant?” Stackhouse questioned. “They’re under that?” He nodded to the mounds of snow as he tugged on his snow gear.

“Yeah, somewhere,” Ford responded, then looked eagerly at Markham. “Life signs!”

“I’m on it,” the pilot responded, turning to the screen and pulling up the HUD. He frowned. “Not picking up anything outside, sir. Hang on.” He turned, and found the hand-held device waiting for him. He held it and frowned. “It’s picking up us,” he stated, and narrowed his eyes at the Ekukians that had been crowding close to the ship. “But still nothing outside the jumper, sir,” he added.

Ford grimaced. “Stackhouse, can you reach them on the jumper’s radio? I’m getting nothing.” He watched as Stackhouse tried at the communication system, and Markham made his way down the ramp, holding the detector in front of him.

The Ekukians looked on with round mouths, slinking back as the newcomers arrived. Markham kept moving, sweeping the device back and forth. “I’m not picking up anything now -- not even me,” he stated. “Something about this place is making it go haywire.”

Stackhouse worked at the jumper’s radio. Ford rooted through the supplies, listening to Stackhouse’s attempt to contact the others. Markham tried to scan, and Teyla remained at the doorway. The cold wind blew into the craft and they all shuddered against it. The Ekukian’s huddled like rabbits.

“Nothing, sir,” Stackhouse said again, making adjustments. “Nothing.”

Markham nodded and echoed Stackhouse. “I’m getting nothing.”

Ford pulled out emergency shovels but knew their work would be in vain unless they could pinpoint the location of their men. “Something,” Ford whispered. “There’s got to be something.”

With a sigh, Stackhouse stood, shrugging apologetically, and then hugging his arms to himself. “What do we do?” he asked.

Undaunted, Ford turned and strode out of the ship, clutching one simple shovel. The pile of snow looked insurmountable. Maybe if they had everyone digging at the same time, they could luck out and uncover their people. But there had to be a better way.

He came alongside Markham, and the pilot finally pocketed the Life Sign Detector. “No good,” the pilot uttered.

“Do you think you could vaporize the snow with the weapons?” Ford asked in a low voice.

Markham whistled lowly, and crunched in the snow. “Maybe,” he replied. “I mean, I could blast it, but if we don’t know where Major Sheppard and Doctor McKay are…” his voice drew out as he considered it. “… I might fry them.” He furrowed his brow. “I wouldn’t want to chance it unless we knew where they were.”

Time was wasting, Ford knew it. Somewhere, under this mess, McKay and Sheppard were trapped. What do I do? Aiden thought. 

Wishing the answer could come to him, he stood, with arms folded, letting the cold wind blow against him. And the worst part was -- he knew that they were… more than likely… too late. How could anyone have survived this?

Ford felt his chest tighten at this thought. Here he was, free and able to move about and with a puddlejumper and more men at his disposal -- and he was no closer to finding them than he was before. He let out a breath in misery.

“… just back off, okay? You’re crowding me. How am I supposed to work with you right on top of me? I can't move my arms. I swear…”

The familiar voice crackled in his ear, strong and clear – and so loud that Ford found himself ripping the earpiece from his head. He spun about, watching as Markham winced and clawed at his hood to get off his own earpiece.

“Doctor McKay!” Aiden shouted gleefully. “Doc!”

Another voice came across the transmission “You were the one complaining about freezing to death. Look, we need to huddle together a bit.”

“You’re in my way. I can hardly wiggle my elbow… see?”

“Ooof! God, knock that off! You’ll give me a black eye.”

“Sir!” Aiden piped up. “Sir! I’m hearing you.”

“I was just trying to show you that this isn’t a comfortable way to work.”

“Conserving our body heat, that’s all.”

“I thought you said you didn’t get cold?”

“That was a lie.”

“Oh.”

“I don’t have a coat! So stop whining.”

“Fine.”

“Move your arm.”

”I need my arms to do this work!”

“Just fix the damn thing! Get it fixed and you won’t have to be embarrassed about being found in a compromising position.”

“Oh, God, what if we die here and they find us like this?”

“Sir! Major Sheppard,” Aiden tried again.

“For the love of…”

“Because, I really don’t want to be found canoodling with…”

“McKay! Can you just test it to see if you can reach anyone?”

“Hang on. Give me a minute. Oh wait… it’s transmitting right now.”

“Great… Hand it over.”

“Fine… take it.”

“Lt. Ford? Do you copy? Teyla?”

“Major, can you hear me? I’m receiving you. We need to know your exact location. We have a puddlejumper and want to try blasting away this snow, but we got to know…”

“Lt. Ford? Do you read me? Teyla? You sure, McKay? I’m not getting anything.”

“It’s transmitting at increased power level, ten times the norm. Believe me, if their radios are on, they’re hearing us. Teyla can receive us back at the compound -- no doubt about that. Their systems just don’t have the ‘omph’ to respond. Plus, our signal is probably drowning them out.”

“Well, how much good is this?”

“Well, it’s certainly something. A lot better than the nothing we had before. We can send out a message! Let someone know where we are!”

Yes! Ford thought. Yes! He turned to the others. Teyla and Stackhouse stood at the hatch while Markham drew closer to him.

“And how do we do that? How the hell do we tell them where we are?”

There was an exasperated sigh. "Due to the increased power, they would now be able to pick us up on a scanner.”

“Like the one you have patched into this thing right now?”

“Exactly… like the one… Okay. Okay, not such a good idea if Lt. Ford and Teyla are the only ones out there. No scanner, I get it.”

“But if Teyla can read us, she'll send for help…”

“And someone can fly a puddlejumper here…”

“Then they'll have a scanner.”

Ford turned toward Markham. The pilot pulled the device from his pocket, smiling at the dot that appeared.

 

CHAPTER 21: BUS DRIVERS

Sheppard held the device that McKay had cobbled together. The work had a haphazard look to it – delicate wires ran from one radio to another, seemingly stuck randomly into the scanner. It looked like junk, but if McKay said he’d increased the transmission power of the device ten-fold, then Sheppard was pretty damn sure they were reaching someone.

“Ford, I know you can’t contact us, but I figure you’re working on something. We’re tucked in a depression under a ledge, against the cliff. We’re fairly protected for whatever you got planned. ‘Fraid I couldn’t describe exactly where we are along the cliff. I’m thinkin’ it looks awful different out there now. You have to get it in gear, now.”

Glancing to one side, he took in McKay’s appearance. Now that the radio-work was completed, Rodney had lost whatever spark had found him, and he leaned heavily on the major. His eyes were closed and he was shivering again.

“Rodney,” he called softly, wiggling a shoulder, hoping for a response. McKay just sunk further against him. “Rodney?” he called more urgently, patting him on the head, being careful of the bloody spot on the fleecy hat.

Sheppard spoke into the radio again. “You have to get us out of here – now. McKay needs assistance. He’s not responding to me anymore. I….”

“M’wake,” a voice sounded softly beside him.

Making an annoyed face at being proven wrong, Sheppard amended the last transmission with, “He’s not responding ‘much’.”

“Tell them to hurry,” McKay said quietly, not lifting his head.

“Just hang on a bit longer,” John stated, after he’d muted the mic, but leaving the radio in transmitting mode. He settled the melded devices on his lap. “How’re you doing?”

Rodney gave him a languid look. “Not bad,” he finally responded resignedly.

When Sheppard gave him a baffled look, McKay shrugged. “Not feeling much anymore.” He seemed apologetic for his statement. “It’ll take them hours to dig us out.”

“They’ll get us out,” Sheppard insisted.

“It’ll be too late for me,” McKay said sulkily.

“Well, I’m planning to survive this,” Sheppard snipped back at him. “So you better keep me awake until then.”

McKay sighed.

“I got no jacket,” Sheppard said, gesturing with a gloved hand – somehow he’d ended up with them again since McKay needed his hands to work, and hadn’t wanted them when he was done. “And I’m cold as hell. I don’t want to fall asleep, so you’d better try to keep me awake until they get here.”

His arms tucked up around him, McKay sighed, looking at the white jacket that encircled their legs. The space was all white, John realized -- white and red, with a touch of blue for McKay's hat.

Shivering still, McKay seemed to be thinking of something, maybe even about telling Sheppard to take the jacket back, but his expression remained fixed, and he said nothing.

“Come on, talk to me,” Sheppard demanded.

McKay grimaced, and then said, “I don’t hate dogs. I’ve liked some. It’s just that they’re needy and I really don’t have anything to give. Cats don’t expect much. We get along better.”

“I don’t like those itnas either. You got no argument from me with that. They’re not really dogs, you know. More like hyenas.”

“Can’t trust dogs,” McKay mumbled. “Just can’t…They make you think you can trust them, and then they just leave you and …” His head dipped.

“Hey,” Sheppard jerked his shoulder, getting McKay to open his eyes again. “Hey! Don't let me fall asleep. Tell me… what did you want to be when you grew up?”

McKay snorted, so Sheppard went on, “I mean, when you were a kid. What did you dream of being? A fireman ... a lumberjack, maybe?”

“Let me guess,” McKay said thickly. “You wanted to be a pilot.”

“Well, yeah. But for a while, what I really wanted to be was a bus driver!” Sheppard said brightly, huddling close to McKay. “I remember riding the school bus – I must have been in the first grade – watching the man drive that big ol’ thing – Mr. Johnston! I thought that must have been the coolest job. There he was, driving the biggest vehicle on the street, with that huge steering wheel and that lever thing that opened the door. He’d stick out that stop sign thing and all the traffic came to a halt. He was in charge. It seemed like real power to me.”

“A bus driver? Just a bus driver?”

“'Just'? How can you say, 'just’? He was driving! And you know, I didn’t want to be just any bus driver. I wanted to be… the Head of the Bus Drivers!”

Rodney snickered quietly.

“Sometimes, he drove with a doughnut in one hand. I liked doughnuts,” John went on.

“Hard not to,” Rodney agreed.

“Maybe I realized, even as a kid, that he had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. I thought he was cool.” He gave McKay a sideways glance as he added, “But I did eat paste back then, so my judgment may have been impaired.” He waited for a jibe in response.

Instead, McKay said quietly, “I never rode the school bus.”

“Don’t they have them in Canada?” Sheppard returned.

“Of course they have school busses in Canada,” Rodney sniped. “What do you think we have there? Dog sleds and igloos.” And he narrowed his eyes at their icy surroundings.

“Pretty much – that and Mounties. You got beavers and moose and lots of trees, too, dontcha ya, eh?”

McKay grumbled.

“And everyone’s so polite.”

“Bite me,” McKay snapped back.

“Have I ever told you that a moose once bit my sister?” Sheppard asked. For that he got a soft chuckle from his friend, who just stared forward. John expected a further response, but after not receiving one, he continued, “So, you never rode the bus?”

Rodney shrugged, his shoulder digging into John. Trying to get comfortable, Sheppard pulled his arm out from between them and draped it over McKay’s shoulder.

Rodney gave him a look, and sighed again. “I attended advanced classes at a school for gifted children. Mother drove me. It was a long, inconvenient drive, okay? Everyone else in the neighborhood rode the bus.” He let out a breath. “And I used to be so envious of them – not stuck in that car.” He took another deep breath. “Don’t get me wrong. I belonged in the advanced schools – but sometimes I just wanted…” He paused.

Sheppard thought he heard something, a high whine, muffled in the snow. He listened to it as McKay said nothing more, just shivering beside him. The sound was intense, and he couldn’t quite place what caused it. Realizing that the conversation had stopped, John asked, “You just wanted to be like everyone else?”

“No,” was McKay’s response after a moment. “When you have a mind as able as mine, how could I possibly demean myself to the level of normal students? It would have been a travesty if I were to be treated ‘just like everyone else’.” His voice became weaker, as he added, “It would have been a waste.”

“But sometimes,” Sheppard stated. “It might have been nice.”

Whispering, McKay stated, "But I had a responsibility, to take advantage of my gift." He went on, his words coming with difficulty, “You asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up? I had two dreams. One – a pianist.” He shrugged again. “But that was ridiculous. The other – what I truly wanted to be? Can you guess?”

“Not the Head of the Bus Drivers?” Sheppard tried gamely.

“I wanted to be an astrophysicist.” McKay laughed softly – hardly more than a ‘huff’. “Even as a child, science and mathematics sparked something in me.” He drew in another deep breath as he continued to shiver. “I knew my path as soon as I found out about the wonders of – physics. I patterned my entire academic career to be exactly what I am now.” He tightened his arms around his chest.

“What was it about physics that drew you?”

Closing his eyes, Rodney furrowed his brow. “I wanted to do something big. To… change the world -- to change worlds – for the better of course. I wanted to make it – better.” His words were becoming slurred.

“That’s a mighty big bus,” Sheppard said. 

"I've always loved the stars," Rodney whispered.

"Yeah? Me, too," Sheppard respond, and they were quiet a moment. Finally, Sheppard asked, “So… you ever play the piano?”

“Didn’t work out,” Rodney returned softly, his voice quiet. “I knew my path and I followed it to this point in my life.” The corners of his mouth turned down as his gaze continued to focus on the white wall. “And this is how it ends.”

The whine seemed to be louder. “Hang on,” Sheppard stated, distracted by the sound.

“It’s been nice …” Rodney’s voice drifted to almost nothing, becoming fuzzy and nearly unintelligible. “It’s been nice knowing…”

“Shhh!” The sound was so strange – yet so familiar. Sheppard clicked off the light on the P90, leaving them in that soft blue light again – but the light had changed, hadn’t it? It had been so faint earlier – so faint they could barely see. Now, he could easily make out everything in their space. “Hang on,” Sheppard said again, smiling. “They’re coming. They’re getting us out. Hey, Rodney…”

Beside him, Rodney blinked his eyes wearily, then rested his head against John's shoulder. His eyes closed, and he said nothing more.

 

CHAPTER 22: GETTING IN

Markham had been firing into the mass of fallen snow, trying to clear out the bulk of what lay near the cliff – and at the same time being careful of melting too much, too fast. He didn’t want to drown the major or the doctor in the runoff.

Mostly, the snow had vaporized under attack by the ‘blaster’. He wasn’t sure what to call that particular weapon. He’d simply wished up a beam that gave off a lot of heat – and that’s what the puddlejumper provided him with. It was pretty damn insightful, he decided, and he felt a certain amount of pride in his ability to make this work.

There’d be a bright flash – and a red beam drove into the snow – followed by a tremendous cloud and a hiss. Ford, Teyla and Stackhouse had already dropped their hats and gloves, unbuttoned their jackets and were sweating from the blasts of heat that were coming from the process. He was creating quite a sauna. Markham felt a little bad for them -- but was glad it was them, and not him.

The radio crackled to life again. “I think you’re almost to us,” the major declared. “We’re in a bit of a depression, under a ledge. I can see daylight through the snow.”

“Markham!” Ford shouted from his position outside of the craft. “Get that scanner out here.”

The sergeant scrambled to follow, getting out of the pilot’s seat and holding the device in front of him. He walked immediately through the channel he’d dug, zeroing in on the dot until he reached a wall of ice that encased the cliff. “Should be here,” he stated.

Ford nodded at this news, then cupped his hands around his mouth to shout, “Major Sheppard! Dr. McKay!” His voice held a raspy quality to it, and Markham wondered if it would penetrate through to where their people were trapped.

Markham kept the scanner out, watching the dot. They were still several feet away. He glanced back at the jumper and wondered if he should try carving out any further snow with the blaster – but thought better of it. Now, so close, even with his delicate touch, he might end up singeing some parts off of Sheppard and McKay.

“Major Sheppard!” Ford called again, leaning toward the snow that kept them from his teammates.

Suddenly, over the radio, a voice stated, “I can hear you, Ford. You’re just about on top of us."

Ford dropped to his knees, and thumped at the surface with his fist.

“I sure hope that’s you, Lieutenant,” a voice sounded in his ear, and Ford grinned in relief. “Don’t want to deal with any salespeople at my door right now.”

Grinning, Ford shouted at the ice, "It's us, sir!"

"Get us out of here, now! McKay has a head wound. He's stopped responding.” There was a pause as if Sheppard expected something. "Why can't you prove me wrong?" they heard Sheppard curse under his breath, and then in a raised voice. "Hurry it up!"

Ford nodded. “Let’s do it.”

Behind them, Stackhouse handed out the shovels, and all three men lifted the tools at once, bringing them down with a bone-jarring rattle, as the shovels clattered upon the rock-hard ice.

“Aw hell,” Markham muttered, raising the shovel and again to bring it down with greater force. The shiny, ice crusted surface easily deflected the assault. Now, all the pride he’d felt in melting away the snow had fallen into frustration. The vaporization of the snow had also created a thick layer of ice – hard as stone.

“What’s going on?” Sheppard asked over the radio. “I can hear you making a racket up there.”

“Sir,” Ford shouted, hoping his voice carried through. “We’ve got a problem.”

It was then that Karluk appeared beside them, toting ice axes. “This should work better,” he explained.

And they went to work. Every inch gained was hard earned – and they chipped and chopped – forcing their way through the ice.

Too caught up with the task, Ford didn’t realize his danger until it was too late. He was whaling away at the ice, swinging the axe with all his might, when suddenly the ice gave way beneath him. Markham lurched, diving to grab Aiden’s legs, as Stackhouse jerked forward, catching hold of Ford before he disappeared into the hole.

For a second, they were all in motion, sliding on the slick surface. Stackhouse managed to stop Ford, but Markham kept moving toward taking a header into the hole. Jabbing out with the axe, he drove it into the ice around them, and hung on for all he was worth. Ford tenaciously grabbed his sleeve.

Gasping in surprise, Markham stared upside-down at the little space in-between the snow and the stone. He drew in a breath, trying to calm his surprise, and stared down at Major Sheppard and Dr. McKay. 

Their missing men were crammed into that spot, just below his head, Sheppard had his arm around McKay, who didn’t lift his head from the major’s shoulder. Sheppard grinned up at them as he brushed chunks of ice from Rodney.

“Markham,” Sheppard greeted. “Ford, Stackhouse. You sure know how to make an entrance.”

 

CHAPTER 23: GETTING OUT

Sheppard watched as the ice was quickly chipped away, as the hole above their head opened. “See,” he said softly. “I told you.” But McKay didn’t respond and Sheppard was afraid to shake him. Stackhouse had tossed down emergency blankets -- and Sheppard had quickly worked the sheets around them, striving to capture any remaining warmth.

“It’ll be just a few minutes and we’ll get you out of here. Just got to hold on a bit longer. You’d better start waking up. I told you that I don’t want to have to do all the work getting you out of here.”

But Rodney’s face was still. His breathing seemed shallow and slow. Sheppard adjusted the hat, glad to see that no further blood had appeared, but troubled just the same.

“Damn it, Rodney.” As the hole continued to open above them, showering them with bits of ice, Sheppard worked off one of his gloves, and shoved his hand into the area around Rodney’s neck. His hands, warm from the gloves, felt the chill of McKay’s skin and sought out the heartbeat – finding it. He frowned when no complaint was registered for the mauling.

John wished he could tell if the pulse was too fast – or too slow – but he was glad that he could at least feel that steady beat. The blankets crinkled as he withdrew his hand. “We’re getting you out,” he promised softly. "Stay with me."

“Hey,” Ford greeted once the hole had been sufficiently enlarged. He dropped down, finding barely enough room to crouch. “How’s he doing?” he asked earnestly.

“He’s cold.” Sheppard sighed. "Still can’t feel his legs. He whacked his head pretty good.” And most reluctantly of all, he added, “I haven’t been able to wake him up again.”

Markham arrived with a backboard from the jumper. Sheppard helped where he could with strapping McKay in place. Getting Rodney out of the space with no unnecessary movements wasn’t easy. There'd been discussion as to whether they should send for Beckett, but time was wasting and the planet was damn cold. In the end, they just had to trust that what they were doing was right.

Once McKay was pulled from the snowy hole, Sheppard followed, stiffly. He stepped clear, staggering for a moment as he put weight on his knee and tugging on his jacket. As the cold blasted him, he shuddered and tugged his collar up against his neck. He watched as Stackhouse, Markham, Teyla and Ford delicately lifted the backboard, keeping McKay as even as possible. Rodney, for his part, didn’t move at all.

But they were out – finally out of that tomb.

Teyla had retrieved blankets, giving one to Sheppard as the other covered McKay. John he tugged it over his shoulders as the cold wind bit into him. He realized that he hadn’t been lying to McKay. It had been sufficiently warmer inside that hole – out of the wind and warmed by their own body heat – the hole had been paradise compared to this climate.

This planet was too damn cold -- too frozen, too white. Looking about, Sheppard scowled at the icy surroundings. It really wasn’t a wonderland at all, he decided. It was just one hellacious cold place.

He glanced around at the mounds of fallen snow – the avalanche that had come down. Through the middle of it, a channel had been carved. Sheppard knew that they would have been under all of this. It’d been damn close, Sheppard realized -- too damn close.

Cold. Bitter cold. Too much snow. So white it nearly blinded him. He’d had enough of it. It was time to get out of it.

He regarded the others, heading toward the jumper. He watched how carefully they carried Rodney, how Teyla paused to ensure that the blankets remained firmly cocooning the man, doing what she could to keep him from the biting chill. He was damn grateful for them.

Careful of his knee, John made his way through the snow after them, ready to leave the place behind.

 

CHAPTER 24: TRADE NEGOTIATIONS

Sheppard sat on one of the infirmary beds with his back pressed against the ‘headboard’. His legs were stretched in front of him. Cradled in his hand – a mug of hot, sickeningly-sweet liquid. The stuff, he was certain, was melting his teeth. He sat with heating pads at strategic positions, and wrapped in warmed blankets, still unable to beat that awful frozen feeling.

“You haven’t suffered any frostbite, Major,” Beckett had declared. “You’ll just need a bit of a warm up, and you’ll be fine. And keep off that leg.” He gave Sheppard an unhappy look. “Would like you to take better care of yourself. What were you thinkin’, walkin’ when your knee was in that shape and goin' without a coat?”

With a shrug, Sheppard stated, “Tryin’ to save our lives.”

Beckett nodded, knowingly. “I’d send you to your quarters like the rest of your team, but…”

Sheppard had promised to be good, to obey any orders and stay in bed if he could remain in the infirmary. Beckett gave in without much fuss. It had been hard enough to force Ford and Teyla to leave, and the CMO knew where to fight his battles.

“And, the ice pack, Major,” Beckett had said tiredly, again offering the item.

Sheppard shook his head sharply. “No way in hell you’re gettin’ near me with that,” he declared hotly. “I’ve had my fill of ice for a while.”

With a sigh, Beckett had responded, “We’ll see.”

The major had watched as the doctors worked over Rodney. He’d been trussed up to keep him still. John had felt a little sad to see the clothing cut from the man – down and feathers went everywhere as the red jacket was destroyed, and then the Maple Leafs sweater under it. Won’t be able to replace them – Sheppard realized sadly. Nothing else like them in the Pegasus Galaxy. Sorry, McKay. I think I’ll miss them.

Rodney never stirred – distressing Beckett, Sheppard and everyone else.

The physicist was a horrible mottle of blacks, blues and reds. He still bore the scars from the devil dogs from months ago – unpleasant looking scars over his shoulder and chest. No, Sheppard couldn't fault the man for hating those itnas -- for needing to get away from them. The major closed his eyes, remembering that island, remembering what he had to do to save them all -- what he had to do to McKay in order to save the Canadian.

Damn, he thought. I hated that.

A nasty cut marred McKay’s bruised head. The area had been shaven, stitched and wrapped. He was taken away for x-rays, scans and other tests. Then the astrophysicist was brought back, strapped in place with a series of heating pads, blankets and an IV with a fluid warmer.

That done, Beckett returned to Sheppard. He sat on the foot of the bed, and explained, “Surprisingly, he doesn’t have any frostbite, either. He has a concussion and is suffering from hypothermia,” Beckett told him. “But you managed to keep that from getting as bad as it could have. If I can get his temperature up a bit, I’d be a wee bit happier.”

“What about his back?” Sheppard asked over the top of his cup.

“There’s no tellin’ at this moment.”

“I moved him,” Sheppard said softly, changing his gaze to take in the Canadian. Rodney’s head was wrapped in bandages, a collar to keep his neck still. It looked strange after seeing him with that blue fleece cap with the ridiculous earflaps for so long. “I should've kept him from moving, but I yanked him pretty hard.”

“Lad, you know it was the right thing to do. Either that or be crushed by all that snow.” The doctor gave him an encouraging look. “I wasn’t able to find anything broken, and there’s a great deal of bruising and swelling around his spine,” he explained. “He’s yet to show any signs of waking. When he comes around, and if his mind is working and if we’re able to reduce the swelling and get him warmed up proper, he should get some feelin’ again.”

“All that?"

"Could be any one of them giving him the trouble."

"Will he walk again?”

“I can’t say,” Beckett responded. “The X-rays don’t reveal everything, I’m afraid. There may be damage we can’t easily see. Depending on what’s gone wrong....” and he let his sentence trail off, not wanting to continue.

Carson went on to explain about medications, test results, X-rays, treatments and such like that, but the long and the short of it was – he had nothing really to say. McKay’s legs weren’t reacting to stimuli. There was no knowing if he’d ever be able to move them again – no knowing if he would be able to walk.

Damn Ekukians! Sheppard thought. If they’d only managed to control their freak dogs! If those people had never been stuck on that paradise island with their untamed animals! He wished he’d known sooner – wished he’d recognized the animals in the tapestry, figured it out quicker. He might have been able to get Rodney calmed down, get between him and the wilding creatures. He wished he hadn’t just gotten annoyed with McKay -- yelling at him to knock it off. He wished he’d understood back then. 

Should have done something, he thought. Wish I’d known.

“He might never walk again,” Beckett had tried to tell him. “We’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it. No sense in thinkin’ only the worst.”

“Yeah,” Sheppard responded, staring at the stuff in his cup. He sipped at it again, as Beckett sat on his bed and gazed toward Rodney. Finally, John asked, “Couldn’t you get me some coffee? Tea even?”

“Now, what did you tell me earlier, Major? I’m allowin’ you to stay only if you keep yourself quiet and do as I tell you. You’re suffering from the cold, too, and caffeine isn’t what you need right now. You need something hot and packed with calories. This’ll be better for you. That, and an ice pack.”

Sheppard growled, and Beckett held up his hands in surrender. Tired, John scowled at the mug, and took another sip. “Wish you could tell me more,” he finally stated.

“I wish I could, too.” His voice low, Beckett said, “But no matter what happens, we’ll take care of it.”

“Take care of him,” Sheppard corrected the wording.

“Aye, we’ll take care of him, no matter what comes of it.”

Quirking his mouth into a half smile, Sheppard accepted this fact – whether or not he really wanted to face the possibilities of it. Yeah, they’d manage, somehow. McKay would persevere as he always did – but at what cost?

The weariness of the adventure had caught up to him. He settled the half-emptied mug on the bedside table. “Gonna stretch out for a bit,” Sheppard told the Scot.

“Aye,” Beckett returned as he stood to give the man more room. “I was wonderin’ when you would.”

“I’m not going to sleep,” Sheppard told him. “I plan to stay awake until you have something to tell me that’s worth hearing.”

“Aye, lad,” Beckett stated, nodding and rubbing a hand through his hair. “You do that.” He picked up the mug as Sheppard stretched out, reorganizing his heating pads, being careful his aching knee. 

Beckett sigh, and stated, “I could get you that ice pack now.”

“No way in hell!” Sheppard snapped. “Just going to shut my eyes for a bit.”

“I’ll keep a watch on things. Don’t you worry,” Beckett told him as he wandered away.

Sheppard blinked and Ford suddenly appeared at his side. “Hey, Major,” he declared. “Welcome back.”

Furrowing his brow, Sheppard coughed and pressed himself upright. “What…?” he tried to ask, still feeling bleary.

“Major,” he heard Teyla voice. “It is good to see you awake.” She stood up from her chair on the far side of Rodney’s bed.

“Ah, he’s up, is he?” Beckett declared from a few beds over where Kavanagh was seated. Funny, Sheppard didn’t remember Kavanagh being here. The engineer was sitting up in bed, looking annoyed as hell – his eyes swollen and black -- a bandage around the bridge of his nose. Beckett nodded as he left the tall scientist’s bed. “Don’t worry, lad,” he said before Kavanagh could speak. “You’ll be out of here and messin’ with your experiments in no time. Just want to be sure you’re seeing straight before I release you.”

“I was right in the middle of a very important experiment,” Kavanagh declared -- his tone had an added nasal quality to it. It made him sound rather like a duck. “If I don’t get back to it, someone’s going to mess it up. No one understands it but me.” And a conceited duck at that!

“It was that experiment that put you here,” Beckett reminded him. “Shouldn’t ‘a been messin’ about with things such as that with no one around to keep track of you.”

“So I passed out and smacked my head on the counter,” Kavanagh muttered. “I wasn’t counting on the fumes. Can I go now?”

“Patience, patience,” Beckett declared, sounding like the most patient man in the world. He smiled when he reached Sheppard. “Feelin’ better now, are we?”

Groaning, John rubbed his knee, annoyed to find that it was strangely cold. Someone had slipped an ice pack in on him! He glared around the room, looking for the guilty party. “How long have I been out?” he asked, frustrated at not finding a culprit.

“You slept through the night and then some,” Beckett responded.

“We are glad you were able to get some rest,” Teyla added, smiling reassuringly.

“Yeah, you were looking pretty tired, sir,” Ford added.

“He wasn’t the only one,” Beckett put in, glancing from Teyla to Ford. “I think we all needed a night of it.”

“McKay,” John breathed out, then licked at his teeth uncomfortably, not wanting to think about the funk he had going on in there.

Beckett nodded to the bed beside the major. “He’s sleepin’ still.” He gave Sheppard a soft smile before he moved toward the other bed. Rodney had been freed of the restraints that had held him earlier – looked a hell of a lot more comfortable if nothing else.

Carson pulled the coverlet back, exposing Rodney’s feet. Taking a pen from his pocket, he ran the back of it along the bare soles. Reflexively, the foot twitched.

Sheppard returned Becket’s smile, glad as all hell.

“What?” a voice sounded softly. “What the… I…” And the foot tried to scrunch up and retract from Beckett’s administration.

“Rodney,” Beckett’s called, surprised. He quickly changed positions, to get in alongside the bed. “Rodney, do you know where you are?”

The physicist squinted up at the head surgeon. “Carson,” he identified softly. Glancing around the room, he found Teyla and Ford leaning over him, and finally he looked to one side and spotted Sheppard sitting up in his bed. “Infirmary,” he muttered. “Guess we made it back.”

“That you did,” Beckett returned, seeming pleased as punch to hear Rodney's annoyed response.

“Doctor McKay!” Ford called brightly. Teyla smiled serenely when the Canadian looked at her.

“McKay,” Sheppard added, and gave the man a nod when their eyes met.

“How you feelin’, lad?” Beckett asked earnestly.

Rodney fumbled with the blankets, trying to get out of them and escape the heating packs. “It’s rather hot in here,” he complained. “I don’t do well in the high temperatures. I tend to get overheated and get all sweaty and…” He paused, thought a moment, and then smiled crookedly. “Hot… it’s rather nice to be hot.” His smile increased. “I thought I’d never be warm again.”

Sheppard nodded. “Gotta say, I’m liking it, too! Just as long as no one is slipping any ice packs in on me.” He flashed a glare around the room. Nobody flinched – damn them! “It’s much better here than snuggling in a snow cave.”

With a beleaguered sigh, Beckett stated, “I should hope so.”

The major glanced toward Teyla and Ford, adding quickly, “Not that we did a whole lot of ‘snuggling’ or anything like that. It was more like 'huddling'. We were trying to conserve heat.”

McKay glanced toward Sheppard and gave him a grin that dropped into panicked expression as he remembered. Hands reached toward his legs, and he winced pathetically as every bruise made its presence known. “Ow,” he moaned. “Ow…seriously… Ow….”

“Hang on there, Rodney. Stop tryin’ to move around like an ass,” Beckett stated, as he pressed a hand to McKay’s chest to shove him back into place.

“My legs,” Rodney cried. “I need to know if I can…” and he stopped as he looked down to his exposed feet, watching the toes clench and unclench. He smiled, stupidly, as he managed to move his feet back and forth. “I can move!” he declared, delightedly. “Not as much as I’d like. And… ow… not as easily.” He stopped his gyrations, and seemed happy just to watch his toes dance.

Becket smiled, glad to see Rodney’s gleeful expression. “It’ll get better, Rodney,” he promised. “You’re over the first hurdle.”

“So… this means I’ll be able to walk again?” Rodney asked quickly.

“Well, I’d like to run some further tests now that you’re awake, but by the looks of things, I’d say, ‘yes’,” Beckett responded.

“What about physical therapy? Will I have to do any of that? Because…” And McKay’s hands fluttered around in his nervousness.

“We’ll see,” Beckett responded lightly. “If all goes well, you might be on your feet in a day or two.”

McKay’s smile increased. “Ah good! Good. I really don’t care much for physical therapy. Too much repetition and too much touching. So much of it is pure sadism. I swear, therapists just want to see their patients in pain most of the time.”

“We’ll see,” Beckett replied, his voice a little lower.

But McKay was looking around the room, looking pleased. As he moved his head, suddenly he winced. “Ow…”

Beckett sighed. “How’s the head?”

“Hurts!” Rodney declared through clenched teeth. “You got a Tylenol or something?” Becket sighed and nodded.

“It’s real good to see you awake, Doc,” Ford put in. “And to see you moving. You had us scared for a while.”

“Scared, really?” Rodney looked over at Sheppard, who shrugged.

“Figured you’d be easier to deal with if you could get around on your own,” the major responded slyly. “I mean, I don’t think any of us would have wanted to push you in a wheelchair for too long – having to take commands.”

“Hmm,” McKay replied.

“We are very glad that you are well,” Teyla told him.

“She brought the cavalry,” Sheppard explained. “She figured you’d be needing a ride out of there and returned to Atlantis. Dialed home and got Weir to agree.”

“Really?” McKay questioned. “But how’d she know?” He turned slowly to face the Athosian, wincing at the movement. “You knew? How? Some sort of psychic thing?” And he twiddled his fingers by his ear, frowning when he realized his head had been bandaged.

“I felt as if something was wrong,” Teyla admitted, not quite sure what she’d felt that had awakened her. 

“You were sick,” Rodney recalled.

“I am better now,” Teyla responded.

“So you just got up and decided to go for help? Why would Dr. Weir agree to send a puddlejumper out on a whim?”

With a forgiving smile, she added, “And I saw the animals, the itnas.”

“Oh,” Rodney responded. He looked abashed, and asked, “So you went back to Atlantis to get help because of the devil dogs? Because you thought I’d be scared of them?”

“Yes,” Teyla responded honestly. She leaned over the bed, gently grasping one of Rodney’s hands. “I knew you would be most uncomfortable in their presence, that it would be best if you were to return – with me – to Atlantis.”

“With you?” Rodney tried, not understanding.

“I do not like them either,” Teyla admitted. “They… unnerve me.”

Rodney stared at her, not able to tell if she were joshing him or not. Was she passing off a lie to make him feel less childish? She looked sincere.

“He says, ‘thank you’,” Sheppard said, smirking at Rodney’s confused expression. “I’m pretty darn thankful you showed up when you did, otherwise we’d be just a couple of popsicles.”

“Popsicles?” Teyla tried the word. “Is that anything like the motorcycle you were telling me about?”

“Not a bit,” McKay responded with a snitty voice.

“Well,” Sheppard negotiated, “They’re both cool.

McKay rolled his eyes, trying to cross his arms over his chest, but was flummoxed by the IV line. “Can I get rid of this?” he called to Carson.

The doctor shook his head. “Not as of yet,” he responded. “You behave yourself and we’ll see about it. You’re going to be in bed for a while. Might as well take in all the advantages of your stay.” And he gestured to the IV as if it were a good thing.

Rodney scowled and, looking down, spotting something on the floor. “Why are there feathers in here?” he asked, indicating a couple tufts that had missed the cleaning brigade.

“Now, since our patients are both awake,” Beckett said, quickly changing the subject, “It’s time you both wandered off to better things.” And he gestured toward Ford and Teyla.

Ford turned to his CO, his glance asking permission to remain, but Sheppard shook his head. “Go on,” he said. “Get some grub or something. I’m going to want to get some more sleep myself. What to do you say, McKay?”

“I just woke up,” Rodney stated petulantly.

“Then you can keep me company until I drift off,” Sheppard said. “Talk to me.”

Teyla squeezed Rodney’s hand again. “When you are feeling better,” she told him quietly, “I shall tell you what Hoonah and Nenana told me about you.” Then, in spite of Rodney’s confused look, she left him to stride to Sheppard’s bed. “I shall see you later today,” she promised, then tilting her head at Ford, she made her way toward the exit.

“Later, sir,” Ford called. “Good to have you back, doc,” he added, touching the brim of his cap and then turned to briskly follow Teyla.

“Hookah and Nonnie-nonnie?” Rodney tried the names, looking toward Sheppard for help. The Major could only shrug in response.

Beckett nodded, saying, “I have a thing or two to look after as well.” As he moved past Kavanagh, the scientist called after him, but Carson kept moving.

Sheppard watched them go, and then turned to McKay. “Feeling better?” he asked.

McKay gave him a withering look. “Honestly, Major,” he returned. “Do you have to ask?” He raised his voice to call after Beckett, “Do you think I can get one of those morphine boxes going here? You know, the one with the button? -- the good stuff. I have a surprisingly low pain threshold.”

McKay squinted after Beckett. “You think he’s getting one?”

Sheppard shook his head. “Better not hold your breath.”

“Humph,” McKay returned. “You sure?” He looked hopefully at Sheppard, then crinked an eyebrow at him. “Why are you still here, anyway?”

“Wrenched my knee,” Sheppard said, gesturing to the hurt leg.

“How’d you do that?”

“One of those snowmobiles fell on me,” Sheppard explained.

“How…?” McKay started, letting the question trail off.

“We crashed.” He sat forward when he saw McKay’s concerned look. 

“When did that happen?” McKay, asked, confused.

“When we were trying to save your ass. God, it was a kick taking that snowmobile downhill. We made that skid fly! You should’ve been there. It was freakin’ great!”

“Really?” McKay answered, his voice raised a bit. “How fast do you think…?”

“Hell, I have no idea, but we were gettin’ some pretty good air. Came off these incredible ledges. It was swerving all over hell. We must have been going straight down at one point. Nearest thing to flyin’ without getting off the ground – much. God it was a rush.”

“Until you crashed it…”

“Well, yeah, up until that point it was a hell of a ride.”

“Did you total it?”

“What?”

“The skid… the ski-doo… the snowmobile.”

“Yeah, we smashed it pretty good. I don’t think they’ll be using that one anytime soon.”

“You think we could get it – I mean as part of the trade?”

“I don’t think the trade is still on, McKay.”

“Oh come on. We need the meat.”

“I don’t know,” Sheppard said and sighed. “I’m thinkin’ I’d rather see those tapas get away.”

“But we can still get that snowmobile, don’t you think?”

Sheppard chuckled. “Don’t know, McKay.”

“Because I can modify it. Get it a bit more pep. I’m sure there’re other planets in the Ancient Database that’d suit our needs for snow. Give me a bit though. Not sure I'm quite, you know, ready for snow at the moment.” And he paused with that thought. “Maybe someplace with a nice chalet and hot tub? Because, all things considered, I’d rather not go back to Ekuk.”

“Don’t know if they’ll trade it,” Sheppard stated. “I hear they cracked up a couple more of them in all the excitement. They’ll probably want to cannibalize parts and make at least one good one out of the wreckage.”

McKay frowned, thinking. “Maybe if the trade was good enough, they’ll still go for it. Those ladies were pretty darn excited about that fruit. Fruit? Why would they want fruit? Try to figure that one out! They sure had strange tastes.”

“Well they don’t have much vegetation on their part of the planet so…”

“Still, you’d think they’d want something tastier, like a load of self-warming MRE’s.” He paused and blinked. “Now… that’d be worth trading for.”

“Different strokes for different folks.”

“Hmmmm, still we might be able to manage it. You know, we start them on the fruit of the month club and get anything we want from them.” McKay yawned. He settled back on the bed, breathing slowly. “I think… I think, I’m going to rest a bit now.”

“Go ahead,” the major responded.

“What about the… ah…’keeping you company’ thing.”

“I’ll manage.”

“Oh, good… good.” And Rodney closed his eyes. 

"Rodney," John said softly.

"Hmmm?"

"Good to have you back," John stated.

Rodney smiled in return. In a few moments, he’d drifted off.

Sheppard watched him sleep. Yes, Rodney had managed to move his feet and to ease his legs about, but that didn’t mean that he’d be 100% when all this was over. The worry hadn’t left John – there were still too many things that might not go right. It might be a hard journey for him. He wondered if McKay was up to it.

The room was silent for a while, until a muffled, nasal voice interrupted the stillness. “Oh come on,” Kavanagh bleated from his bed. “You know he’s going to be fine. He wouldn’t give me the satisfaction of letting me get his position.”

Reluctantly, Sheppard turned to the black-eyed engineer and gave him a steely look.

Kavanagh continued, “He doesn’t give up on anything. You know that.” He folded his arms over his chest. “So stop acting as if you think otherwise.” Looking annoyed, Kavanagh added, “And if you get those damn snowmobiles, you know he’s going to do everything he can to get to his feet and start fixing them up before anyone else can get their hands on them.” He paused, and asked, with a tone that almost sounded hopeful, “So, you’re going to do it, right?”

Sheppard allowed himself a small smile. Probably the first he’d ever had for the engineer. “Yeah, I suspect so.”

Kavanagh grunted in response, his arms still tightly crossed at his chest. “Figures,” he grumbled and flopped onto his side, turning so that his back was toward the major.

Sheppard sighed, not knowing what to make of that, as he reached for his radio. He had to contact Weir about a trade negotiation.

 

CHAPTER 25: MENDING WALL

John thought about the past month as he moved from one corridor and down another. All things considered, it had been a good month – and this particular day seemed as if it was going to be a damn fine one.

Ekuk was behind them. A team had been dispatched to the planet and managed to trade three of the broken skids from the natives, hoping that they might get one working machine out of the group. Of course, the genius McKay tinkered them all into working shape.

McKay had mended quickly from his ordeal, with no permanent damage. Beckett was relieved as hell – and for that matter, Sheppard was too. John still didn’t like thinking about what might have happened to McKay – if they hadn’t gotten to him in time, if they hadn’t escaped the avalanche, if the tapas had stampeded over the top of them, if a break in Rodney’s neck or spine, or the knock to the head had made things terribly worse.

John counted himself as damn fortunate that he hadn’t lost a friend. Within a few days, Rodney was snippy and snappy, and full of piss and vinegar – exactly what they’d all grown used to. And, as soon as the skids arrived, he dove, up to his elbows, into the Ekukian mechanics, puttering the equipment into working order, complaining to anyone who hung around to hear, and chuckling happily as he performed miracles.

Yes, Rodney was back to his usual irascible self, and John was glad to put that adventure behind them. The Ekukians could keep their tapa-kabobs and dipping sauces and their women who were wild about maple leafs.

Speaking of maple leafs -- John knew exactly where the Canadian would be at that moment – in the makeshift shop in the corner of the jumper hangar. Sheppard was eager to give the skids a try – once the snowmobiles and McKay were all in good working order.

As Sheppard entered the enclosed stairway that went to the back of the jumper hangar - avoiding the more exposed front entrance. He came to a stop at the first landing, finding Private Deroche gazing up the long series of stairs. The young medic snapped to attention, trying to school his ‘deer in the headlights’ expression as he folded his hands behind him. He met his CO’s questioning look with a, “Good morning, sir.”

“Deroche,” Sheppard returned, tilting his head at the man. “You just hanging around in the stairs these days?”

“I… ah…” The young man swallowed, his nervousness telling the major everything he needed to know.

“No…” Sheppard muttered.

Without a way of escape, the Private showed Sheppard the length of cord. “Sir, I’ve been keeping him restrained, but I left him with Corporal Alava when I went to …”

“You left him with Alava?” Sheppard got out.

“Yes, sir,” Julian Deroche answered quickly. “Private Richmond could have visitors. I had to go right away, but the doctors won’t allow me to take…” and he held out the cord. Seeing the dark look come over the major, he continued, “I didn’t know where Fairholm was, and Richie – you know he couldn’t watch him. I needed to find someone. Alava said he’d take Rudy to my room and shut him up.” He looked lost as he talked faster. “But, you see, he took him into the mess instead. They got chased out by Corporal Recilios, and so Alava tied him up in the stairwell and…”

“Damn it, Julian!”

“I know, sir. I know. But Richie was waking up and… Alava was the only one around who’d watch him for me. I made him promise, sir.”

Sheppard blew out a breath. He couldn’t fault the private for wanting to see his teammate. Private Richmond had suffered through an attack of appendicitis and had given the surgeons a bit of worry. No, Sheppard couldn’t fault Deroche for wanting to see his friend as soon as he was allowed.

The major glared up the stairwell and threw Deroche a dark look. “Where?”

“Up, sir,” the private answered uncertainly. “It’s open at the top level. He couldn’t have gotten through the doors by himself.”

“Damn it,” Sheppard repeated before he sprinted up the stairs to the jumper hangar. Damn it! Damn it! He knew it would come to this! He knew this was a bad idea from the start! It was going to be one hell of a day, wasn’t it?

Yes, they’d gone back to Ekuk to finagle the snowskids. The Ekukians, desperate to make things right, had offered up not only the skids, but had pitifully presented one of the young itna pups. “Weaned and ready for a new home,” they’d said helpfully.

Sheppard had flat out refused – but Weir, who’d joined the negotiations, had seen some wisdom in accepting this offer. She’d taken their group aside and said that she wanted to mend fences.

“Good fences make good neighbors,” Paul ‘Richie’ Richmond muttered helpfully. And Sheppard wondered what the hell that was supposed to mean, but having an ally was better than an enemy – there was wisdom there.

Weir accepted the squirming pet. And, Deroche had instantly promised to take it in. He’d worked with ‘problem’ animals in the past, having spent years volunteering at an animal shelter back home and swore he’d have the pup properly trained. Richmond piped in that he’d help out, and had volunteered Mike Fairholm as well.

Sheppard, not liking the idea one bit, commanded that Deroche would have to keep the creature ALWAYS under control – and away from McKay. Any report of vicious behavior would be the end of the creature.

They’d trade it away as soon as they found someone who would take it. The problem was… nobody seemed to want an itna in the Pegasus galaxy.

Damn pup was too cute! They’d get rid of it soon, but Sheppard didn’t want to see what happened when the thing crossed paths with McKay. Oh, Rodney knew the beast was about, and always busied himself with something when the thing was mentioned. No, Rodney didn’t need to see the creature – didn’t need to EVER be surprised by it.

Should have gotten rid of it already, John chastised himself. He knew it would only lead to trouble.

So far, Deroche had kept his part of the bargain, training the animal and keeping it away from the scientist. Between himself and the others, they’d managed well with the creature. Fairholm was on Ozette’s team, so he’d take the creature when Deroche was off-world. Richmond and Deroche had it the rest of the time.

“I swear, sir,” the young man insisted as he clambered up the stairs after the major. “Rudy hasn’t shown any signs of aggression. I swear, he…”

“We find the damn thing, now!” Sheppard insisted. Bad idea! He knew this was a bad idea from the outset. They’d actually accepted a devil dog into Atlantis! Shouldn’t have fallen for those innocent eyes! This was trouble from the word ‘go’.

“I never let him nip,” Deroche insisted. “The breed seems to need a firm handler. But he’s smart and he’s caught on to all his commands. He’s house trained … or rather ‘Atlantis trained’ and…”

“Deroche!” Sheppard snapped. “Enough!”

As they came around the landing, Sheppard wondered if the animal could have found his way out onto one of the floors. Certainly if it had been spotted, someone would be reporting it. Sheppard had no time to report the incident. First, he’d get to the hangar, check on Rodney – then he’d alert the base about the loose beast. Honestly, he’d rather just scoop up the thing and hurry it away instead of getting McKay upset about it.

Bursting onto the upper level, Sheppard looked about in the open expanse of the jumper hangar. The creature could be anywhere in here. “McKay!” he shouted. “Rodney!” He frowned when he received no response. He knew McKay was here – he wouldn’t leave a skid alone when it was in pieces. The fool would work non-stop on it, foregoing sleep when a project was in the works.

And Beckett had told him to take it easy -- but that was impossible for McKay if he were in the middle of something. Sheppard didn't think he could stop himself. Maybe, if McKay could just sit still for a moment -- relax...

Jabbing out a finger, Sheppard indicated where he wanted Deroche to start searching. The private nodded, accepting the direction and started his search, making little ‘smoochie’ noises and calling, “Here, boy. Here, Rudy.”

Almost instantly, they heard a response. A little whimper. Snapping to attention, Sheppard followed the sound toward the machine shop with Julian at his side. He could see the assembled skid, but no sign of McKay or the dog. He jogged to the site. Damn it… damn it… damn it! His heart raced, wondering what had gone through Rodney’s mind when he saw the thing.

Wait…

Sheppard came to an abrupt halt as he came around the corner and drew out a hand to stop Deroche as well. With a smile, he took in the sight. McKay was asleep in a chair -- slouched, his legs resting on a crate – his head against the wall. And sitting up in his lap, the white itna named Rudy.

The dog made a sound, just a quiet little whine, as he saw his master. He thumped his tail happily, but didn’t move – the hand that rested over him gently blocked his escape.

“Sir,” Deroche said softly, looking to his CO. “Do you want me to…”

Sheppard shook his head, chuckling. Never stops surprising me, Sheppard thought, amused. At least he’s getting some rest. That’ll make Beckett happy. “Let him be, Julian,” he said with a sigh.

“But,” and the private held up the makeshift leash again. “I’m supposed to keep him under control. That was part of the deal.”

The itna, getting no immediate command from his master, settled back on the comfy lap that had captured him. Letting loose one delicate yawn, the pup sighed audibly, curled up beneath that hand and closed his eyes. 

Sheppard shook his head as he watched, noting the design of McKay's sweater. The Athosians had been kind enough to knit a new one for the man – using the Canadian Flag patch to get the right shape for the leaf. So, the sweater no longer bore the blue and white of the Toronto Maple Leafs – instead sporting a brownish and beige approximation of red and white – McKay wore it whenever he could – even though he complained that it itched and was too warm for Atlantis.

He hadn’t complained about the missing red parka – much.

Looking awkward, Deroche asked, “What do you want me to do, sir.”

Rodney looked downright comfortable, slouching and asleep in that chair. Who was he to disturb a sleeping scientist?

Reaching into his pocket, Sheppard withdrew a deck of cards. “We could pass the time for a bit,” he stated as he pulled a chair out from a table that had been set up for poker. “How’s Richmond doing?”

Deroche finally smiled and started detailing the conversation he’d had with his friend. Sheppard settled in, content to pass the time in the hangar and let Deroche chatter away. He glanced to Rodney, and smiled as the scientist unconsciously scratched the small white dog between the ears.

Yeah, he thought, ain’t such a bad day at all. 

THE END


End file.
